TO ALL NEW READERS, PLEASE READ FROM
Part - 1
TO KNOW WHATS HAPPENING IN THIS STORY.
The night was over, but the after happenings or actually after shocks of the day had not actually even begun. The mom’s debate was somewhat just like the trailer.
Early morning I was totally blasted off by the accounts sir for this being the worst performance ever under his teaching of mine. It was so embarrassing that people expect so much from you and you fail so badly on their expectations.
If that was less, then came in Ishita.
“Remember your face when you didn’t rank first in class, when Ronak had just joined school. And what you upto dude? Have you gone nuts.” And when girls start speaking, all comma’s and full stops are jumped over and she continued for a while.
That was the morning session of the three-session day. Later in the school, the teachers started off criticizing every student after the other.
‘Such a poor performance.’
‘I have never seen such an academically poor class.’
‘You are the cream students of the school and this is how you perform.’
It was like a mental torture, worse than the third degree torture in Mumbai jails.
But one of the issues pending was my resignation from the school cricket team. Discussion on that was still pending. And I knew facing Mr.Sinhal, the sports in-charge will surely be a difficult task.
The talk did happen, but much before I expected it to happen. He called me in his cabin.
“Nikhil. I spoke to your teachers and some friends after I received your message. I know, being in 12th studies needs to be your priority but then I have seen the passion in you for cricket and it’s a sports you surely can pursue.”
I knew this would happen. I was spoilt for a choice. Studies or cricket? I stood their silent for a while.
“Its now or never. You have to decide now. Many tournaments are currently lined up. Its time to make it big. It will be the biggest mistake to quit, especially when you are leading in the chase towards the top. But then the decision is all yours. I can’t force anything upon you. You take a call. And I shall respect your decision.”
I had a fair idea of the events lined up and the chances of hitting it to the top if I continued with it. Just when I was ready to take in the chance, the events of the day before came flashing in to my mind and I had to continue into a longer thinking break. I was confused, but a decision was pending. I needed some time.
“Sir, I have a small request. I need some time.”
“In sports time is all important. I need your decision by the end of the day. No-one would be as happy as I would if you take back your resignation, and no-one would be as supportive as me if you stick to your decision. Rest I leave it to you. You are smart enough to decide what’s good and what’s not. Have a nice day.”
I left the room, in a weird state of mind, totally unaware of the people walking up and down the corridor around me. They might consider me to have gone crazy, but I myself didn’t know what exactly was I upto.
I tried to look out for Ranbir, but he was in midst of an inter-school football match, so that did not work out. The next option was Ishaan.
He was in the auditorium practicing for a play to be performed a few days from now, for some dignitaries coming down to school. But he wasn’t accessible either, as he was inside the hall, and for so-called security reasons, other students like me were not allowed inside. I tried hard to persuade the security guard to let me in, but he was too stubborn to let me go. My all attempts failed to convince him of the urgency of the situation. At one point of time, I felt like knocking him down and enter. He was just adding fuel to my frustration fire.
I quietly walked to the canteen and settled down for a cup of coffee, and was thinking of the decision I had to take. I wanted to continue with my passion, as without it, I would be half dead. But then, if I continued, the taunts at home of spoiling my so-called bright future and studies would begun to deteriorate would commence once again.
But then don’t we have a choice to decide, what we want to do? Why are we always governed my others dreams and aspirations? Do our dreams and aspirations have no value? Or do we also force them upon someone else in the future and live though them?
More than the decision-making thoughts, these questions began to haunt my mind. I was feeling irritated and even agitated to an extent.
And just when you are in a dilemma, in midst of a storm, you either face a survivor or you face the end. A guy, somewhat of my age only, was in the school uniform, so basically a fellow student came and sat next to me, and that’s not all, he even did kick of the conversation,
“Hey, how come Mr. Popular is alone today?”
“I am sorry, but I don’t know you.”
“I am Manish. Manish Singhania.”
I have indeed heard that name, but just couldn’t recollect where.
“I just met Mr. Sinhal, and he told me about your case. I had heard about you and your skills on field and was interested in meeting you since long, but never got the chance. Today was a lucky day indeed.”
“I am sorry, but I am actually finding it difficult to recollect your name.”
He was talking about something else, and I asked him something else, heights of confusion state, must say.
“It cannot be anyone other that Sinhal Sir, himself from whom you would have heard about me. Ex-cricket captain of the school, Best Player for three years in a row, Best Captain for two years in a row, National Player Award winner, Cricketer of the Year Award recipient. I am the same Manish Singhania.”
“Exactly. It’s an honour to meet you. You are like a living cricket legend in school. You were the first to bring the Under 19 Dubai Cup to an Indian school campus. I am so sorry for not recognizing you. Actually I am in a very bad state of mind and so such mistakes do happen.”
“Relax dude. Its fine. An its your mental dilemma that brings me here.”
“But wait a minute, can you please tell me, what prompted you to quit cricket at the peak of your career?”
“I was in the same boat in which you are sailing right now. Under parental pressure I quit cricket to improve upon my academics. And that’s the question you are facing right now, whose answer is still unknown to you, am I right?”
“Yeah. But the news that came out was you had to quit because of an injury. So was that a false rumour?”
“Very much. It was fabricated to be presentable to the outside world, as it wouldn’t have been accepted in the orignal state. Very few people know the truth, the truth which even I find it difficult to face at times.”
“But then, couldn’t you have had continued cricket, since the entire city knew you and your strength.”
“The inside reality is known to just a couple, and I tell you, so as you can take the right decision. My mom had died and for the sake of my younger sister, and me, dad got married once again. And came in the typical step-mother. Though she was very caring about my sister, she somewhat had some issues with me. She would emotionally blackmail me saying that, ‘Just because I am your stepmother you don’t listen to me and don’t study. The world will think that I have been a bad mother’, and on. So, I had to finally call it quits in 10th when I reached my saturation point at home. It was a forced decision, and not my personal one.”
“So, basically haven’t you thought of a comeback?”
“That’s not possible dude. After quitting cricket, things got worse with studies. Zero concentration as I was always deviated towards the game. At the end of the year, all this drama made me really weak, mentally and emotionally. I still feel for the game, but the passion is hidden at a place, difficult to find it back.”
I could see water droplets accumulating in his eyes. But he was strong enough a sportsman to control them.
“So, what do you expect from me?”
“Don’t quit the sport. It’s your life. If no cricket, you will have no value buddy. Studies will be affected more that what it currently is.”
“But the family pressures.”
“Reassure them. Get their confidence in your favour, that you will not neglect your studies. They will understand. I failed at that point. I just don’t want history to repeat itself. That’s the reason I am here, sitting next to you. I don’t want you to repeat the mistake I had made.”
“You have made my day, buddy. Thanks a lot.”
The day was over, so after giving him a quick hug, I left to meet Mr. Sinhal.
“Sir, just wanted to tell you, that I continue and take my resignation back. Thanks sir, bye good night.”
Just when I was running out of the building, I bumped into Ranbir.
“Nikhil, Mr. Shukla told me that you were looking for me, anything urgent.”
And then comes in Ishaan from behind.
“Nikhil, the security guard was like you wanted to see me urgently, anything wrong.”
I started laughing like crazy, and they stood there puzzled.
“Guys I have taken a decision, will tell you people in the bus, lets go.”
Part - 1
TO KNOW WHATS HAPPENING IN THIS STORY.
The night was over, but the after happenings or actually after shocks of the day had not actually even begun. The mom’s debate was somewhat just like the trailer.
Early morning I was totally blasted off by the accounts sir for this being the worst performance ever under his teaching of mine. It was so embarrassing that people expect so much from you and you fail so badly on their expectations.
If that was less, then came in Ishita.
“Remember your face when you didn’t rank first in class, when Ronak had just joined school. And what you upto dude? Have you gone nuts.” And when girls start speaking, all comma’s and full stops are jumped over and she continued for a while.
That was the morning session of the three-session day. Later in the school, the teachers started off criticizing every student after the other.
‘Such a poor performance.’
‘I have never seen such an academically poor class.’
‘You are the cream students of the school and this is how you perform.’
It was like a mental torture, worse than the third degree torture in Mumbai jails.
But one of the issues pending was my resignation from the school cricket team. Discussion on that was still pending. And I knew facing Mr.Sinhal, the sports in-charge will surely be a difficult task.
The talk did happen, but much before I expected it to happen. He called me in his cabin.
“Nikhil. I spoke to your teachers and some friends after I received your message. I know, being in 12th studies needs to be your priority but then I have seen the passion in you for cricket and it’s a sports you surely can pursue.”
I knew this would happen. I was spoilt for a choice. Studies or cricket? I stood their silent for a while.
“Its now or never. You have to decide now. Many tournaments are currently lined up. Its time to make it big. It will be the biggest mistake to quit, especially when you are leading in the chase towards the top. But then the decision is all yours. I can’t force anything upon you. You take a call. And I shall respect your decision.”
I had a fair idea of the events lined up and the chances of hitting it to the top if I continued with it. Just when I was ready to take in the chance, the events of the day before came flashing in to my mind and I had to continue into a longer thinking break. I was confused, but a decision was pending. I needed some time.
“Sir, I have a small request. I need some time.”
“In sports time is all important. I need your decision by the end of the day. No-one would be as happy as I would if you take back your resignation, and no-one would be as supportive as me if you stick to your decision. Rest I leave it to you. You are smart enough to decide what’s good and what’s not. Have a nice day.”
I left the room, in a weird state of mind, totally unaware of the people walking up and down the corridor around me. They might consider me to have gone crazy, but I myself didn’t know what exactly was I upto.
I tried to look out for Ranbir, but he was in midst of an inter-school football match, so that did not work out. The next option was Ishaan.
He was in the auditorium practicing for a play to be performed a few days from now, for some dignitaries coming down to school. But he wasn’t accessible either, as he was inside the hall, and for so-called security reasons, other students like me were not allowed inside. I tried hard to persuade the security guard to let me in, but he was too stubborn to let me go. My all attempts failed to convince him of the urgency of the situation. At one point of time, I felt like knocking him down and enter. He was just adding fuel to my frustration fire.
I quietly walked to the canteen and settled down for a cup of coffee, and was thinking of the decision I had to take. I wanted to continue with my passion, as without it, I would be half dead. But then, if I continued, the taunts at home of spoiling my so-called bright future and studies would begun to deteriorate would commence once again.
But then don’t we have a choice to decide, what we want to do? Why are we always governed my others dreams and aspirations? Do our dreams and aspirations have no value? Or do we also force them upon someone else in the future and live though them?
More than the decision-making thoughts, these questions began to haunt my mind. I was feeling irritated and even agitated to an extent.
And just when you are in a dilemma, in midst of a storm, you either face a survivor or you face the end. A guy, somewhat of my age only, was in the school uniform, so basically a fellow student came and sat next to me, and that’s not all, he even did kick of the conversation,
“Hey, how come Mr. Popular is alone today?”
“I am sorry, but I don’t know you.”
“I am Manish. Manish Singhania.”
I have indeed heard that name, but just couldn’t recollect where.
“I just met Mr. Sinhal, and he told me about your case. I had heard about you and your skills on field and was interested in meeting you since long, but never got the chance. Today was a lucky day indeed.”
“I am sorry, but I am actually finding it difficult to recollect your name.”
He was talking about something else, and I asked him something else, heights of confusion state, must say.
“It cannot be anyone other that Sinhal Sir, himself from whom you would have heard about me. Ex-cricket captain of the school, Best Player for three years in a row, Best Captain for two years in a row, National Player Award winner, Cricketer of the Year Award recipient. I am the same Manish Singhania.”
“Exactly. It’s an honour to meet you. You are like a living cricket legend in school. You were the first to bring the Under 19 Dubai Cup to an Indian school campus. I am so sorry for not recognizing you. Actually I am in a very bad state of mind and so such mistakes do happen.”
“Relax dude. Its fine. An its your mental dilemma that brings me here.”
“But wait a minute, can you please tell me, what prompted you to quit cricket at the peak of your career?”
“I was in the same boat in which you are sailing right now. Under parental pressure I quit cricket to improve upon my academics. And that’s the question you are facing right now, whose answer is still unknown to you, am I right?”
“Yeah. But the news that came out was you had to quit because of an injury. So was that a false rumour?”
“Very much. It was fabricated to be presentable to the outside world, as it wouldn’t have been accepted in the orignal state. Very few people know the truth, the truth which even I find it difficult to face at times.”
“But then, couldn’t you have had continued cricket, since the entire city knew you and your strength.”
“The inside reality is known to just a couple, and I tell you, so as you can take the right decision. My mom had died and for the sake of my younger sister, and me, dad got married once again. And came in the typical step-mother. Though she was very caring about my sister, she somewhat had some issues with me. She would emotionally blackmail me saying that, ‘Just because I am your stepmother you don’t listen to me and don’t study. The world will think that I have been a bad mother’, and on. So, I had to finally call it quits in 10th when I reached my saturation point at home. It was a forced decision, and not my personal one.”
“So, basically haven’t you thought of a comeback?”
“That’s not possible dude. After quitting cricket, things got worse with studies. Zero concentration as I was always deviated towards the game. At the end of the year, all this drama made me really weak, mentally and emotionally. I still feel for the game, but the passion is hidden at a place, difficult to find it back.”
I could see water droplets accumulating in his eyes. But he was strong enough a sportsman to control them.
“So, what do you expect from me?”
“Don’t quit the sport. It’s your life. If no cricket, you will have no value buddy. Studies will be affected more that what it currently is.”
“But the family pressures.”
“Reassure them. Get their confidence in your favour, that you will not neglect your studies. They will understand. I failed at that point. I just don’t want history to repeat itself. That’s the reason I am here, sitting next to you. I don’t want you to repeat the mistake I had made.”
“You have made my day, buddy. Thanks a lot.”
The day was over, so after giving him a quick hug, I left to meet Mr. Sinhal.
“Sir, just wanted to tell you, that I continue and take my resignation back. Thanks sir, bye good night.”
Just when I was running out of the building, I bumped into Ranbir.
“Nikhil, Mr. Shukla told me that you were looking for me, anything urgent.”
And then comes in Ishaan from behind.
“Nikhil, the security guard was like you wanted to see me urgently, anything wrong.”
I started laughing like crazy, and they stood there puzzled.
“Guys I have taken a decision, will tell you people in the bus, lets go.”
...to be continued...
1 comment:
de post is nice n interesting...just to correct u at one place u hv mentioned mother-in-law instead of using step-mother..just a correction...gud work yet again..:)
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