Subroto’s Reedsy Contest Submission

Subroto’s Reedsy Contest Submission

Two strangers  who are both heading to the same destination and agree to do a long-distance drive together

It was well past midnight when the Doon Express from Kolkata entered the railway station in Dehradun. An athletic looking, dark-complexioned man, Roberta, alighted from the train dragging a Rollaboard suitcase and carrying a shoulder bag. He walked hurriedly towards the waiting room and pushed the door open. There were no passengers inside and he seated himself comfortably in an armchair, preparing to take a quick nap. Minutes later, a knock was heard on the closed door, and the silhouette of a man appeared outside the glass panes.

Roberta got up from the chair and opened the door to let in a tall man in a grey safari suit and princely countenance, pulling his single luggage.

“I am Veer Singh from Delhi. I just arrived by the Delhi- Doon- Express,” he said, extending his hand for a handshake. “The Airlines bookings are full due to the summer rush. I got the railway ticket with great difficulty.”

Roberta introduced himself and said, “So surprising, we’re both from opposite corners of the country meeting here almost at the same time. I was booked in a Kolkata- Dehradun flight but it got cancelled at the last moment due to some engine problem.”

“Oh! I’m going to Mussoorie to meet an old friend of mine who is a writer and lives there alone writing books. We were schoolmates here in the Doon Valley school and then met in England where I played cricket in my college days. Are you going elsewhere from here?” he enquired.

“Yeah! I’m also going to Mussoorie to spend some time in its sylvan surroundings. I am from Brazil, and I used to play football at the international level. After my playing days were over, I became a coach. I was invited by a football club in Kolkata to take a one-week course to teach the young club players. I was told by a friend of mine that Mussoorie is a beautiful hill station, known as the Queen of the hills, from where one could see the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, on a clear day. So, I decided to visit it,” said Roberta.

“Fantastic coincidence!” commented Veer. “A cricketer and Footballer meeting at the same place and time. There could not be a better coincidence. Let us celebrate it together. I have booked a car from a travel agency, and I shall be very happy if you can join me in this trip.”

Roberta and Veer had a brief nap and were prompt to get up at the first streak of dawn and get ready for the trip. The car arrived at 8 a.m. sharp and took them for breakfast at the Hyatt, before leaving for a long drive up the hilly winding road to Mussoorie.

Roberta looked out of the window at the narrow twisty road with numerous hairpin bends as the car drove up the mountain and remarked, “The snake-like road evokes a sense of awe and admiration. It is just the way we dribble the football through the opponent’s defenses before we shoot it into the goal. The mighty mountains on one side make us feel small and humble.”

 “You’re right!” agreed Veer, “The mighty desolate peaks, covered with a green canopy of trees, present a defiant look. In our county cricket team in England, we had a batsman who defied the bowlers and refused to get out easily. We called him ‘the rock’. At some places the sunlight seeps in, past the thick canopy of branches. The bowlers looked for similar gaps in his batting armory to ‘seep’ in the ball to hit the stumps.”

Roberta listened to Veer’s description of cricket with interest and asked him, “At what stage did you start playing cricket and how was your training given?”

“I was fortunate to be born in a cricketing family. My grandfather was the ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala during the British rule. He spent most of his time playing county cricket in England. He also played in the English team twice. There was no dearth of opportunities for learning and playing cricket. My father played ‘tests’ for this country. During my summer vacations I was sent to England to be coached at Lords by some of the greatest coaches. I was groomed to become a cricketer,” replied Veer. “How did you start your career as a football player?”

Roberta was dumbstruck by his alluring bio and said softly, “I was born in a very poor family. My father was a cleaner in the municipality and my mother looked after the home. My father could not afford to send me to be coached. He played football at the local club, and he was my coach. He could not even afford to buy me a football to practice. He collected some Jaca fruits (Jackfruits) from roadside trees while returning from work, and used it to show me how to kick different shots. The fruits broke and all the ‘flesh’ and juice spilt out, but I got the idea of how to make the shots. This was how I learnt the basics of football and started playing in the local clubs. Soon the scouts from some of the bigger clubs spotted me and selected me to play for their clubs.”

Veer was surprised to hear this and asked, “How did this training help you to become one of the greatest footballers in the game?”

Roberta replied hesitantly, “It’s a long story, but I will try to tell you briefly. My father was a good ‘Ginga’ dancer, and he incorporated the styles in this dance to the game of football. ‘Ginga’ translates directly to ‘sway’ and signifies the unique and special moves. That is why Brazilian football is one of the most entertaining styles of football and is a form of art. It is inspired by two forms of art:

·       A martial art known as Capoeira which combines different elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.

·       Samba dance is a solo dance that involves keeping your body straight but moving your legs and feet slightly.

Mixing these two fundamentals, Brazil produced one of the most delightful styles in the history of football. The style consists of a very dominant and possession-based type of playing football, with a very attacking mindset.”

Veer was puzzled by this style of football and could not help asking, “How can dance be mixed with playing football? In cricket, too, various techniques are invented to help the bowler, and keep the batsman guessing. For example, you shine one side of the cricket ball and let the other side be rough. When the bowler bowls the ball, its rough side experiences more resistance due to atmospheric air, than the other side. As a result, the ball rotates slowly and after hitting the pitch it swings to one side. The bowler adjusts the swing by gripping the ball in a certain way before bowling and the speed at which the ball is delivered. After the ball becomes a few overs old, a skillful bowler can generate what is known as ‘reverse swing’. This confuses the batsman in determining which direction the ball will swing. But there is no dance step involved in it!”

Roberta laughed at the comments and explained, “In football, Ginga consists of many different moves, some of them include dribbling using different parts of your foot and juggling. The whole style is built upon agility and how a player sways with the ball. It can catch the opposition off-guard. For example, the unexpected back heel, the no-look pass, walking past players while juggling the ball on your feet and thighs.”

He remembered something more and added, “I will tell you an interesting episode. In the 1958 world cup I was injured in the second round and did not play till the quarter finals. Our World cup coach preferred the European style of play and discarded ‘Ginga’ totally. The result was that in each match we barely scraped through. I was very disappointed and was thinking of returning home. My dad used to speak to me daily on the phone and he strongly dissuaded me from taking this step. He advised me to play my ‘Gingo’ game when I am fit to play, and this will reveal the truth about ‘Gingo’ magic.  In the quarter finals our center forward was injured and the only player who could replace him was me. I had recovered from my injury by then. When I entered the field after the interval the score was 0-2 against Brazil. After the next ten minutes I took possession of the ball and steered it towards the goal circle of the opposite side. There I passed it to the left-out who scored the goal. We still had to score two more goals to win the match. I completed that task during the next thirty minutes, using the ‘Gingo’ magic and Brazil won the match.”

Veer applauded with a clap, “I know this game and saw it on TV at least a dozen times. It was a fantastic match and perhaps the best I have seen. It’s too good for me to praise!”

The car had now entered the city of Mussoorie and was heading towards ‘Everest House’, where Roberta was booked to stay. It was a clear day, and all the surrounding peaks at a distance were visible. They both alighted at the entrance to the lodge from where they feasted their eyes with the majestic view of Mount Everest, towering over all the other peaks and glistening in the rays of the sun.

Conclusion

The two strangers, who met by a strange coincidence and drove together to the same destination, were outstanding sportsmen.  They reached the pinnacle of

success in their respective sports, as revealed through their dialogues. However, the path to the top was totally different. One was born with a silver spoon and received the best facilities for coaching and playing, while the other had no such facilities, due to their poverty, but had the passion and determination to succeed. It highlights one important aspect of achieving success – the passion and determination to achieve and coaching provides only the steps. Those who have succeeded in climbing Mount Everest have done it without climbing steps!

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