Chin Music

Prologue:

“What’s up Dude, on leave today?” 

Was checking out the papers, no more leave for me. I was trying to smile as I said that.

“What? What happened? I can see the dismay behind that smiling façade. What’s with you?”

Compulsory leave... forever from today… I no longer have a job to take leave.

..................................................

The story begins when this young man called Anoop Menon leaves for Kochi to play cricket. And cricket makes him play and then dance and then cry.
He wants to get into the best Cricket Club in the city and thereby give a try in pursuing a career in cricket...but life in the city without a job is unthinkable, he only realized it after a couple of months in the city...

The selection trials for the club was not much of an ordeal, Anoop had played for the university during his college days, but the club standards were different to say the least. Getting into a job was an ordeal though, but eventually he got into what they call a graveyard shift.

The practice started at 3.30 PM everyday in the scorching heat of Kochi with the humidity touching the 90s- harsh by international standards!  The drills kept on changing every 2 days, but basically it was something like this- 15 rounds around the Palace Oval in 25 minutes, the ground being one of the biggest in Kerala with turf wickets and daily nets, that’s why he choose this particular club and the night shift job, so that he can work at night and play in the day.  If 15 rounds didn't get over in 25 minutes, then for each additional minute one additional round, 3 minutes break after that and then the drills for 45 minutes, which included sprinting the length and breadth of the ground and throwing at the wickets, 3 minutes break again, running between the wickets, 4 runs at a stretch, repeat the same 3 times without a break, catching for 30 minutes, close catches for 45 minutes, then 20 minutes of finishing exercises.

By 7.30 the practice used to get over and then he had to catch the bus home where he along with his friends lived , he had to quickly bathe and eat and then get to bed by 8.30 so that he could get up at 2 at night and then hurry to office. His shift started at 2.30 AM and lasted till 12.30 PM, which under normal circumstances used to go on till 1.30 or 2.30 and then he had to hurry back to the ground. Everyone else living in the home had a day shift job.  

Getting to the nets appeared to take time, the fitness drills itself is nearing 6 months. And then one day he got the chance to bowl at the nets with the old ball. Batting at the nets looked like another 6 months away.  

The other seasoned players were bowling like whirl wind, and he appeared to be a mediocre ‘medium fast’ guy. He was the quickest in whichever team he had played before, so this was kind of rude shock to him.

Get your lungs full and then look at nothing but the middle stump and give it a go Anu. His mind whispered.

The first ball swung in and took the middle stump. The coach noticed that, and few of those right arm fasts around also took note.

“Not bad, keep it tight, you got some swing going, don’t worry about the pace, it will pick up with time.”  The coach was not one who lavished praise on his wards.

He was given chance to bowl every day after that, and soon he picked up pace. 3 months after that he also became a Right Arm Fast.

“Give him some chin music Anu.” His team mates used to tell him when he used to mark the run up.

 Chin music, leather sniffer, bouncer all these meant a ball pitched short of length and then took off, if the batsman is very quick in his reflexes then he can save his nose. Of course helmets were a prohibited luxury in the nets. Anu was a specialist in terrorizing the batsman with the short ones.

Days passed, Anu is one of the prominent members of the club now, the night shift job, along with the nets were taking its toll on him. But the determination to pursue cricket made him toil hard and move forward. It was difficult for him at the office as he was always fatigued after the below normal hours of sleep and the close catches used to give him swollen fingers with which he could hardly type. But somehow he was managing, hoping to get selected at some level in the state team. He has been issued warnings from office for not turning up for work as he had taken leave without approval to play matches in the morning.

That evening, he was virtually comatose and late to bed already, the match was a close one, it was a hard fought victory...he had hit 2 sixes and a 2 of the last 3 balls when the team needed 14 runs to win from 3 balls. His batting skills were gradually being recognized. On coming home he went to the adjacent room to get his charger.

The door was half closed. There was an undressed woman sleeping in the bed ...The bed sheet had flown away in the wind from the fan....

What the hell, whose bitch is this?

“shhh...don’t wake her up, its achayan's 'setup'.”  It was Manu, Achayan’s roommate.

‘Setup’ in the local slang meant an affair, usually an extra marital affair.

“Achayan has a thing going with her, they know each other from their Bangalore days...when they used to work together for the same company...”

Oh, Smitha, but she is now married, isn't it..?

“Not only that,  she has a kid now...her husband is always on official tour... usually achayan goes to her place , but this time she wanted to experience the heat of Kochi, I guess. Don’t wake her up, she is having a nap, after...you know...”

This is unacceptable, he is not the only one staying here, this can’t be allowed here...

"Who asked your permission..." That was Achayan's voice.

Achaya, you keep all this at your home or at her home, this can’t be allowed here.

Achayan: "Well then you may leave the place and find some other room.
We didn't invite you, you came begging for a bed space,
you were the one roaming through the length and breadth of the city to get a room to live and then I gave you a place to live, that too right next to your office...but why are you getting so angry, she isn't your sister, neither your girlfriend...relax dude... If you are interested we can do negotiations on sharing."

Go and fuck yourself

"Why should I? That’s what I have got her for..."

Bastard

"Oh Anu, you looser...showing your frustration on me….watch your tongue, or your cricket bat lying there at the corner will answer you next time." 

Nelson-the other roommate intervened, “Anu, take it easy dude...She won’t frequent this place, this was just a make shift arrangement ...”

Whatever, it’s time for me to find another place, somewhere near to the club. As long as there is a job, I don’t have to be the slave of any sex fiend. Anoop made it loud and clear.

“Oh, come on Anu, just relax...better, go to bed, you gota get up at 2, it’s already 10. “ Nelson pushed him to bed.

When he got up...the time in the watch told it was 10.45, the sun was shining brightly through the window.

Oh god....the shift will end in another 2 hours, running on the last warning and again failing to turn up for work...disaster…He was thinking aloud.

On his mobile there were 6 missed calls from his TL.

Bull Shit...

Next day at office TL took him straight to the Process Manager, he handed over the letter to Anoop...

"....you have breached the last warning given to you, Mr. Anoop Menon. In these circumstances I am forced to take necessary action. You are hereby relieved from all the duties with regard to Zebra Global Support Limited."

Which literally meant, he was fired.

After such a long time, he was going to sleep at night. Is it that long, actually? Only yesterday he slept through the night. Yes, but that was unintentional!

On the way back to the house, his mind hesitated to accept the situation that he was in. Unsure about making the future in cricket, need to find a place to live ASAP, on top of all this, lost the job. Quite unbelievable indeed.   

The roommate who came to have lunch was surprised to see him lying down and watching TV.

Epilogue:

“What’s up Dude, on leave today?” 

Was checking out the papers, no more leave for me. I was trying to smile as I said that.

“What? What happened? I can see the dismay behind that smiling façade. What’s with you?”

Compulsory leave... forever from today.

 “Anu, what are you saying? Come out properly” 

I have been fired. I was running on the last warning and I failed to turn up for work again.

“…shit man...Warning is just an excuse, recession has started to show its true colours, this is a part of downsizing. “

The only hope I had was the job. To survive here and try for selection atleast in the zonal level. 

“Don’t worry da, you can try for another job, now that you are 1 year experienced it won’t be that difficult...”

It’s not as easy as you think, that son of a bitch has not given me the relieving letter and hence the experience doesn't count...

“Well, I am off to office, you take rest. Just relax mate, some door has to open for you and it will...”

Anoop continued with his practice but he was not at his best. The trials to pick the under 25 team was approaching. In Kochi itself there are a dozen clubs and there is slot for a maximum 5 players from here. From the under 25 a few will get into the state team for the upcoming Ranji season. This was the only chance in the current year for Anu to get through.

The day of the trials, which was held in the International Stadium, the bowlers were given 4 overs to bowl at and the batsman were given 5 overs to bat on.

I am going to ball the 4^th over in the trials, this will be the last one for me, I haven’t picked up a wicket yet, this is the last chance for me to do something and impress the selectors. But it has to be sort of a miracle to get noticed.

The first 3 balls were played properly by the batsman, hopelessness stared at me. Now the last 3 balls, I gota make them count. The 4^th ball of the over was a full length ball pitched outside the offstump, hit the deck, swung in and took the leg stump of the batsman. Honestly I didn’t expect it to swing so much. There is hope now, the next one was a Yorker hurled towards the root of middle giving it my everything. The new batsman in got beaten for pace and the middle stump was uprooted.  2 in 2, more hope! The last ball pitched in line at good length and moved away as expected took the edge of offstump on the way. A Hattrick! I am now staring back at hopelessness with pride!  

Despite the hattrick my name was not there when the team was announced. The last hope also faded away.

Coach tried to console me “Anu, it happens, you need to get used to all this, there is a lot of politics involved in the selection. We can try for the Zone, but it will take some time. Let this season be over. “

I was lost in the flurry of thoughts that ensued, but surprisingly my mind was blank! Too many events unfolding in too little time, but still the mind was able to give time and analyze the aftermath and the possible waves generated in the otherwise calm ocean...fair enough though!

Having lost the job, I didn’t go out for almost 10 days, didn’t attend practice either.

That noon I was lying down and watching TV, roommate had come home for lunch.

“Dude, don’t confine yourself like this, why don’t you go for practice atleast, if not for a job hunt?”

This is kind of an apocalypse.

 “Apocalypse... hahaha. The darkest hour of the night comes just before dawn.”

Cut the philosophy man, it won’t enter now.

“I gotta run, we will sit through and find a way when I return. “

News in the TV was running. I was hardly paying attention.                                                                                                                                          

Oh god, what does the future hold for me...the prince who set out on search of a new kingdom has landed in 'no man's land' , no place to go, having lost the weapons in his  repertoire , he is in shambles...what’s the point in being alive like this...

News about Ranji trophy going on at the fort maidan at Palakkad was being telecast, which brought my attention back to the News.

Kerala in bad shape in the Plate league match against Andhra.
Fast Bowler Prashanth Chandran injured in yesterday's tea session. Selectors announce replacement for next match...

Mobile rings.
“Hello Anoop, this is Manoharan, Calling from KCA Office, we are glad to inform you that you have been picked in as replacement for the injured Prashanth Chandran, join the team in Palakkad. Meet the manager T.C.Francis tomorrow after the last session of the match. Welcome to the State Team. All the best. “

Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. The door has opened.
If you really want it, you long for it with all your heart, you put your mind into it, the universe will conspire it for you...'it' is your destiny.