It was late in the evening when I returned from my practice match.
"If only I had a Sunny Tonny !!! Would have nailed Nadeem right to the pavilion."
"Nah.. Nadeem is master class. Come on. His father was the most amazing medium pacer I ever played against. Got me eight times in seven games, you see."
"Abba, you never graduated from university level cricket. Zonals are different."
"Dude, the same university had the likes of Mushtaq Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad playing alongside us. Can the current crop ever match the greatness of these stalwarts. Moreover, look at the sad state of the team. Filled with fixers and bookmakers."
"Abba, we just whitewashed the top test team, England. The same team that had steamrolled the world champions last summer. Misbah is bringing in a revolutionary change and all the youngsters are up to it. Why should the whole team take the blame of what some numskull did for a few extra rupees? You will never credit the younger generation with what they deserve, will you?"
"You win buddy. Dinner?"
"What's for it?"
"Daal roti"
"Not again. We had some eggs right. How about egg curry?"
This was among the many similar evenings that we father-son duo shared. Shahid, my father, was a banker and used to be an aspiring cricketer in his university days at Peshawar. A tough Pathan, he had to give up only because a freak accident resulted in the amputation of one of his legs. Abba never complained, and this was not the sole incident which was the recipient of such privilege. Abba, amongst the most patient persons ever to have graced Planet Earth never complained. This led to people taking him for granted one too many times. But Abba never complained.
"Abba?"
"Yes Mr. Soon-to-be-Sachin Tendulkar"
"I have a match this week."
"And aren't you going to nail Nadeem this time. You have worked hard."
"Abba, Nadeem is master class. He has played under-19."
"You must remember one thing son. Never look at the bowler. It's the cherry you must focus on. You are destined for the big league. Just follow your instincts."
"Did you have to leave today Abba? Can you not stay for till the weekend?"
"I need to go Nadir. Lahore has better doctors you see."
"Abba, you just need to quit smoking. You do not need doctors."
"Your bhaijaan will have my head if I do not get to Lahore this time."
"You should have been with me Abba. You always listen to Bhaijaan."
"I wish I could son. But I really think I should be paying the doctor a visit now."
And Abba left for Lahore.
"Hello. Abba?"
"Its Qadir dude."
"Adaab Bhaijaan. Abba reached?"
"Yes, Abba just reached. He's gone to freshen up."
"I hate you Bhaijaan. You could have scheduled the appointment for next week. I could have joined in"
"Lahore is a busy city kiddo. And getting an appointment with Dr. Jehangir is almost rocket science. Chalo, I will give you a call later. Have a wonderful match and all the best with Nadeem."
"Shukriya Bhaijaan."
I was upset with Bhaijaan. How could Abba not be with me for a match? My performance in this match could get me into the zonal side and I was nervous. I somehow managed to hold myself for the weekend match. And I played fairly well. I scored 45, and managed to score three boundaries off the reverse swinging yorkers of Nadeem. I was confident.
"Hello. Bhaijaan?"
"Hey Kiddo, how was your match?"
"It was good. I scored 45."
"You won?"
"It ended in a draw Bhaijaan. But we went through to the quarter-finals by the virtue of an earlier win."
"God bless you kiddo."
"I want to talk to Abba. Please pass the phone to him."
"Abba has gone out for a walk kiddo. I will get him to talk to you later tonight."
The next day was a Monday, and college was to reopen that day. We were hailed in the assembly by the principal and I was singled out as a shining young prospect. I was happy.
Come Thursday.
"Hello. Abba?"
"Hey Kiddo !!! Good Evening. Abba has gone out for a walk brother. What's up?"
"Bhaijaan, I got selected for the Zonal Team. And guess who is the skipper. Misbah-ul-Haq. Yes, the national captain. Am I not the luckiest fellow in the entire universe?"
"Wow !!!! Well done kiddo. And many many congratulations. We will have a party for sure"
"How is Abba, Bhaijaan? When is he getting back? He was supposed to return today tomorrow?"
"Abba is doing good. He will take another week brother. Some tests to get done."
"Arrrrgh. I will die of boredom. I miss those dinner time quarrels with Abba. He just needs to quit smoking."
"Oh did I tell you he has?"
"Really? Thats some good news."
Abba did not return home after a week and I was getting increasingly pissed at Bhaijaan. Why did Abba had to go at all if he was quitting smoking?
"Hello, Nadir?"
"Bhaijaan !!! Either you send Abba home or I am reaching Lahore tomorrow."
"Abba is no more"
...
"Hello. Bhaijaan?"
"Yes kiddo. Are you ready for the debut? And you have no Nadeem here. You must be all gung-ho"
"Bhaijaan, I wish Abba was here"
"Kiddo, remember the old trunk in our attic"
"Yes, what about it?'
"Abba wanted you to have a look into it before your first Zonal match"
...
I opened the old trunk. A cricket bat with a letter attached.
"Nadir, for all the hours you put into cricket and for all the complaints you had against your bat. You are your own hero, son.
And thanks again, for living my dream."
I went into the match with my brand new Sunny Tonny.
"What's for it?"
"Daal roti"
"Not again. We had some eggs right. How about egg curry?"
This was among the many similar evenings that we father-son duo shared. Shahid, my father, was a banker and used to be an aspiring cricketer in his university days at Peshawar. A tough Pathan, he had to give up only because a freak accident resulted in the amputation of one of his legs. Abba never complained, and this was not the sole incident which was the recipient of such privilege. Abba, amongst the most patient persons ever to have graced Planet Earth never complained. This led to people taking him for granted one too many times. But Abba never complained.
"Abba?"
"Yes Mr. Soon-to-be-Sachin Tendulkar"
"I have a match this week."
"And aren't you going to nail Nadeem this time. You have worked hard."
"Abba, Nadeem is master class. He has played under-19."
"You must remember one thing son. Never look at the bowler. It's the cherry you must focus on. You are destined for the big league. Just follow your instincts."
"Did you have to leave today Abba? Can you not stay for till the weekend?"
"I need to go Nadir. Lahore has better doctors you see."
"Abba, you just need to quit smoking. You do not need doctors."
"Your bhaijaan will have my head if I do not get to Lahore this time."
"You should have been with me Abba. You always listen to Bhaijaan."
"I wish I could son. But I really think I should be paying the doctor a visit now."
And Abba left for Lahore.
"Hello. Abba?"
"Its Qadir dude."
"Adaab Bhaijaan. Abba reached?"
"Yes, Abba just reached. He's gone to freshen up."
"I hate you Bhaijaan. You could have scheduled the appointment for next week. I could have joined in"
"Lahore is a busy city kiddo. And getting an appointment with Dr. Jehangir is almost rocket science. Chalo, I will give you a call later. Have a wonderful match and all the best with Nadeem."
"Shukriya Bhaijaan."
I was upset with Bhaijaan. How could Abba not be with me for a match? My performance in this match could get me into the zonal side and I was nervous. I somehow managed to hold myself for the weekend match. And I played fairly well. I scored 45, and managed to score three boundaries off the reverse swinging yorkers of Nadeem. I was confident.
"Hello. Bhaijaan?"
"Hey Kiddo, how was your match?"
"It was good. I scored 45."
"You won?"
"It ended in a draw Bhaijaan. But we went through to the quarter-finals by the virtue of an earlier win."
"God bless you kiddo."
"I want to talk to Abba. Please pass the phone to him."
"Abba has gone out for a walk kiddo. I will get him to talk to you later tonight."
The next day was a Monday, and college was to reopen that day. We were hailed in the assembly by the principal and I was singled out as a shining young prospect. I was happy.
Come Thursday.
"Hello. Abba?"
"Hey Kiddo !!! Good Evening. Abba has gone out for a walk brother. What's up?"
"Bhaijaan, I got selected for the Zonal Team. And guess who is the skipper. Misbah-ul-Haq. Yes, the national captain. Am I not the luckiest fellow in the entire universe?"
"Wow !!!! Well done kiddo. And many many congratulations. We will have a party for sure"
"How is Abba, Bhaijaan? When is he getting back? He was supposed to return today tomorrow?"
"Abba is doing good. He will take another week brother. Some tests to get done."
"Arrrrgh. I will die of boredom. I miss those dinner time quarrels with Abba. He just needs to quit smoking."
"Oh did I tell you he has?"
"Really? Thats some good news."
Abba did not return home after a week and I was getting increasingly pissed at Bhaijaan. Why did Abba had to go at all if he was quitting smoking?
"Hello, Nadir?"
"Bhaijaan !!! Either you send Abba home or I am reaching Lahore tomorrow."
"Abba is no more"
...
"Hello. Bhaijaan?"
"Yes kiddo. Are you ready for the debut? And you have no Nadeem here. You must be all gung-ho"
"Bhaijaan, I wish Abba was here"
"Kiddo, remember the old trunk in our attic"
"Yes, what about it?'
"Abba wanted you to have a look into it before your first Zonal match"
...
I opened the old trunk. A cricket bat with a letter attached.
"Nadir, for all the hours you put into cricket and for all the complaints you had against your bat. You are your own hero, son.
And thanks again, for living my dream."
I went into the match with my brand new Sunny Tonny.
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