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| Pic courtesy Google pictures |
As India and Pakistan battle it out in Mohali there's a battle raging at home too - the big battle for the remote.
Men in blue vs Chhota Bheem
The Husband came home early today 'to watch the match'. But of course he'd forgotten he'd have to contend with the two young ones. The men in blue were competing with Chhota Bheem. "3 to 4 is our TV time," announced Hrit indignantly when The Husband tried to wrest the remote from him. The Husband was taken aback at this utterly unpatriotic, totally unloyal, completely blasphemous response.
Saam Daam Dand Bhed ...
He tried to get the kids interested. "Let's all watch the match together," said he. “It's great fun. Those men in blue are from India.. that's our team. We are batting and Pakistan is fielding." "But I want to watch Chhota Bheem," persisted Naisha. The Husband yelled out to me. "Hey look they're not letting me watch." Did I ever mention I have three children? Anyway as a rule I never interfere in their petty squabbles. Besides I was totally enjoying The Husband's predicament... heh heh heh.
After ten minutes of coaxing he tried parental authority, "Now I'll really get angry," he said without looking in the least bit threatening. He did, however, manage to take away the remote and tuned in to the National Channel. Strange how kids catch on to these nuances. Hrit just knew he could get away with it and so swiped the remote and it was back to Chhota Bheem.
Finally then he used the bramhastra, "I'll call mama. You'll see what happens, then," he threatened. Anyway the clock had inched its way to four O clock and TV time was up. Time to intervene, I decided. So The Husband settled down and the kids got up for their evening milk.
.. and then this
The Husband's troubles were not over though. A crow flew down to our balcony. "Arre why has the crow come here," said he. "It never comes, does it?" (He wouldn't know he's hardly home at this hour, and the crow does come.) "It's not a good sign," he prophesied darkly, "we'll lose." And thus did cricket turn my pragmatic, sensible Husband into a superstitious 18th century man. The kids were summoned expressly to shoo away the offending creature.
The Husband sits there now as the fifth wicket falls repeating like a chant, "We'll win. We'll win. Pakistan doesn't have it in it to make more than 180-200."
In other related news ...
I went to the vegetable vendor and saw rather sad-looking vegetable there. Said the lady, "Kya karein didi. Taazi subzi lane ka kya fayada. Do baje ke baad toh koi dikhega nahin adhe din ke liye kya karne ka?"
My sis and mom were thrilled to get half a day off from the premier educational institute where both of them are lecturers.
My neighbour who works with a telecom company also got a half day. He and his colleagues rushed off to the company guest house to watch the match unencumbered by wife and kids.
My oncologist sis-in-law called me on her way back from the hospital chatting while she drove 'because the roads were practically empty'. "The hospital is deserted. Doctors patients have all gone home. My cancer ward is empty too, save for two patients," said she. And the said patients, possibly terminal cases, rather than worrying for their lives were worried about India's chances of defeating Pakistan. They were terribly upset that the ward didn't have a TV set. So sis-in-law 'reserved' two sofas in the hospital lobby for them. At 2.30 they went down, drips and all, to watch the match. The less- serious patients made their way to the cafeteria. "But that's normal," she said, "We even schedule Chemos depending on Indo-Pak match timings."
That's cricket to people in India and that's what an Indo-Pak match is all about.
Edited to add: At the time of posting India looks like it has a fair chance at a win. Fingers crossed... toes crossed too.
Edited to add again: Yay yay yay!!!!!
And there's more. Says she, "I became sensitive to the importance of the game after I saw the passion of a favourite patient of mine." A young boy of 23, he knew he had little time left. He was on morphine to keep away the pain. As an India-Pak contest drew close he requested, "Doctor don't give me too much morphine I don't want to fall asleep during the match."
That's cricket to people in India and that's what an Indo-Pak match is all about.
Edited to add: At the time of posting India looks like it has a fair chance at a win. Fingers crossed... toes crossed too.
Edited to add again: Yay yay yay!!!!!