My shuttle racket was in good shape though it was 10 yrs after my last smash. I used to play daily and had even won competitions for my club. Well, that was more than a decade ago. Though I had put on around 20 Kg, my rackets still seemed to be in good shape. Reaching the court on that beautiful Saturday, I saw my colleagues full of energy and thrill. As I was not too good with remembering names I went near to most of them and wished [I had just joined the new company]. I hopped around stretching my legs and swinging my arms just to feel confident that I was after all not in bad shape.
I was planning to play doubles and mixed doubles. The advantage was that only 50% of the total effort will be expected from me and I can even pass comments and tips to my team member, just to prove that after all I am the captain. Well as the saying goes - man proposes, God disposes, I was called in to play singles. My diplomatic approach and a short speech on feminism didn’t help in pushing my female team member in. Finally... I had to go in.
Now, there I stood like a pro, trying hard suppressing the panic look on my face. It felt as if the court was growing, may be to double the size. I looked around; my mind kept saying "how did I get myself into this mess?” I remembered my dear wife’s advice while I was getting in to my car "its been ages since you even walked fast, in case you feel like fainting just lie down and don’t wait till you blood pressure overtake you male ego". Well, I did smile back at her sarcastically then [I knew she was school champion in badminton and hockey, while back in Delhi
The game started, first few rounds went well except that my opponent was scoring and I was running around like a kid on a beach. Half way thru the game, I felt like the lights have gone dim, I could hardly see the cork though it didn’t make much of a difference. Mr. Sunil, my great opponent got the first game, I was expecting a break but the moron, my opponent was ready to continue. Trying to hide my exhaustion, I managed to negotiate for a break; all I wanted was to get some oxygen into my poor lungs. I dont know who, as I my vision was still not clear, came to me and said "Sunil is an expert in placement". I shook my head in agreement though I hardly understood what that pro had meant. Maybe my dear opponent was running a consultancy... second round went smooth, my opponent had a smooth victory, my vision was getting worse and some of my very close enemies later told me that the game was wonderful and that I even ran to the court near by and gave a smash. Well... the doubles went ok as my partner was better than me in looks and also the game. That’s it... every muscle, every join was acing for the next few days and I could hardly bent my poor back, one of my friends mistook the condition and even commented that my posture has improved after the game, to which I gave a [painful] smile.
That’s the story, and every story should end with a moral mmmm... lets see… how does this sound: "it’s not whether you win or loose, it how you enjoy and let others enjoy"... sound ok to the story right?
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