“Recalled to life”

Last night, I did something which I haven’t done since a long, long time. I watched the India-Pakistan semi-final match in the ICC World Cup tournament. I was glued to the television set and hooted and cheered every time a Pakistan wicket fell. I totally lost control of myself and trust me, it really felt nice. I really enjoyed it immensely. I guess I need to do this quite often.

While watching the match, I also saw Aamir Khan and Waqar Younis. That regenerated me all the more. It was so exhilarating to see my second most favourite cricketer after such a long gap. He’s the coach of Pakistan cricket team now.

I have altered so much. I can’t believe that I am the same person who used to be so crazy for Sanjay Manjrekar and Waqar Younis. I used to collect their photographs and make a point to watch all matches played by them. I entered journalism only because of Manjrekar and with the ambition of meeting him. Well, I did meet him while I was a trainee at “The Free Press Journal”. That was on 2nd October, 1997. I will never forget this day and the moments I spent with Manjrekar as a journalist. My dream of interviewing him came true that day but I also lost something. I guess I lost the madness of becoming a sports journalist because of the cold treatment I received from him. I found him very ‘khadoos’. I couldn’t believe that he was the same Manjrekar whom I had ‘adored’ so much and been so ‘close’. I guess all my teenage fantasies were shattered that day by the cold treatment I got from him. Slowly, the craze for him faded and once he retired from cricket, I didn’t bother to keep track of his personal as well as cricketing life. I guess if he had to show a little ‘warmth’ towards me, I wouldn’t have ‘left’ him. May be he took my feelings for him in a wrong way and thought I was just another crazy fan looking out for God knows what. Whatever it is, his craze was subsided soon after this meeting and with that the craze for cricket as well. Then slowly Waqar and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, my most favourite tennis player, also moved out of my life. It was the phase when I had to get hold of my life. I had started working and had no time for hobbies.

Then work pressure and matrimony and motherhood took centre stage and all my favourite pastimes like watching cricket and tennis, keeping a scrapbook, and other so-called ‘trivialities’ were pushed into the backburner. I could only manage to keep the habit of reading and listening to music. Music - because it can be kept on in the background, while I can continue with my domestic chores. Reading because I need to travel in the train to go to work! That’s the reason I like to travel by train – I can read! But of late, though I feel guilty of intruding into the family time, I have started reading at home also. I just can’t help it. I need it……..

But I am sure I have been “recalled to life” after watching this India-Pakistan match. There’s this urge to continue with my teenage life – like watching cricket and tennis, collecting photographs of Manjrekar, Waqar and Arantxa – and sticking them in my scrapbook. I want to do all this all over again…….Just the other day, Jemimah was asking for a scrapbook and I didn’t get it for her. So now, instead of one, I will buy three scrapbooks – one for Jemimah, one for Jewel and one for me……I want to bring back a bit of my childhood and teenage days……all that was good………….I want to relive my life…………..backwards………………..!!!

Just the thought of it makes me feel so good 