“No Sir, it’s ALOK KASHYAP”, I corrected him.

“It’s for the world. Aloo is for me”, his voice got softened.

“Sir do you know him?”, I asked him.

“Yes, he was my classmate and my best friend in my school days”, he answered.

“Oh that’s nice”, I said.

“So you are my best friend’s son”, he said casually.

“YES sir”, I said wondering what else I could say.

“Good good”, he said.

I wondered that he praised me because I was born to his best friend. That’s amazing !!!!!

“Why you were sitting here by the way?”, he remembered his motive of rushing towards us.

“Sir I got bored of those catching practice, so…….”, I said.

“Oh Ok”, he said.

“Sir please give me batting”, I said instantly taking the advantage of the situation.

He laughed. I had never seen him laugh before.

“Come son come with me”, he said as he kept his hand on my shoulder and we started walking towards the nets.

I felt extraordinary when everyone around us was staring at me with their jaws dropped.“Hey look how that boy is walking with Joshi Sir”, I heard someone whispering.

“Sir?”, Raghav came running from behind.

“What?”, Sir said as he withdrew his hand from my shoulder. My extraordinary feeling came to an end.

“Sir, the icards?”, he said.

“Oh take it, no complaints against you both, but don’t repeat it”, he smiled.

He handed Raghav and me our I-CARDS.

“GO Son go bat”, Joshi Sir said to me.

I grabbed the bat and went into the nets. He stood outside the nets and observed me.

“Rohit! 2 balls 6 runs”, he instructed.

“OKAY sir”, I said without looking at him.

The first ball rushed towards me and fortunately for the first time, I didn’t had to catch it.

BUT, I missed the ball !!

“Hey play carefully !!”, Joshi Sir said.

“Now 1 ball 6 runs”, I reminded myself.

The second ball rushed towards me. This time I didn’t miss. I hit it so hard. It hit the top of the net and went very far away. Joshi Sir was elated.

“Hey you hit well”, he said.

“Thank you Sir”, I grinned.

“Hit again I want to see again”, he said.

I did the same thing again and Joshi Sir was more happy than me.

“I was stupid to not give you a chance, you are so good”, he said

“Sir not you, my father gave me a chance”, I thought.

“My Academy’s name is ELITE ACADEMY”,he said. “You should join it, it nurtures students to become professional cricketers”, he offered.

“OKAY SIR, I’ll ask my father”, I said.

Thank you for reading.

To be continued……………

Part1-https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/02/170/

Part2- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/03/174/

Part3- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/04/the-transition/

Part4- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/06/the-i-cards/

The ball was rushing towards my chest. I shivered. Now, my determination shifted from catching the ball to protecting my chest. But I just wanted to slap that ball away. The ball came near me.I attempted to hit the ball but ended up wrapping my hands around the ball.

“Hey, Who are you?”, The assistant coach said.

“Child prodigy”, I thought.

“Sir Rohit” I said proudly.

“Is this a way to catch the ball”, he said angrily.

“SIR, But, I caught it with one hand”, I said with more pride.

“Then what?”, he screamed.

I kept quiet.

“It could have hit you on your chest”, he screamed again.

“Is this a way to express your concern?”, I thought.

“GOD knows why everyone wants to join cricket. It is not everyone’s cup of tea”, he said very slowly but I heard him.

---

“No worries man. What happened if he said. You are just playing for fun. Enjoy !!”, Raghav said.

“No dude. What he said was wrong”, I said.

“Then brother what to do”, he mocked.

” One thing is that they don’t even give me batting”, I said.

“Then you insist them”

“Have you seen the coach’s face. He looks like a Villain from a flop Bollywood movie”, I was frustrated.

He laughed. I saw him. He stopped.

————————————–

“Sir I have been doing only catching practice from six days. Please give me batting, sir”, I pleaded to the rude coach.

“No, you are not even good at catching. Batting is very far for you”, he scolded.

I knew his reaction but still I asked because Raghav insisted me to do it again and again.

I got bored with those catching practice that I decided to sit on the bench near the nets. Raghav came near me and sat with me.

“Dude do you ever go to the class?”, I asked him.

“I don’t want to!”, he replied.

Some bats were kept aside the bench.

Raghav lifted one bat and starting imitating the batsman practicing in the nets.

“Leave, leave it”, the coach was rushing towards us.

I stood up.

“How dare you touch it, did I give you permission”, he said.

“N…………No s……sir”, Raghav murmured.

“You both give me your I cards”, he said.”Come on fast give, I’ll complain to the Principal”.

Our hands crumbled when we handed him the I Cards.

“RAGHAV GANDHI CLASS 11TH SCIENCE”, he read aloud.

“ROHIT KASHYAP CLASS 11TH SCIENCE”, he read my name and I felt proud for no reason.

He then turned my I card and read my father’s name.

“Aal…..”, he stopped while reading the name.

“What is your father’s name?”, he looked confused.

“SIR, ALOK KASHYAP”, I said.

“Aloo…….”, he said.

I was surprised after listening such a soft word from his mouth which only had harsh words !!

Thank you for reading !!

To be continued…….……

Part 1- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/02/170/

Part 2- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/03/174/

Part 3- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/04/the-transition/

I again woke up to a normal morning in my house. Everyone was rushing here and there to get to their work. I did not even go for a walk that day as it would have reduced my time to talk about my cricket activity or to be more precise my time pass activity. “Papa, Can I play cricket in my school?”, I said.

“What’s the big deal in that! play”, he said. “But……….”,I could not complete my sentence. I wanted to talk about the two study period going to be wasted.

“Get ready for your school, no more useless talk”, he instructed as he buttoned his shirt.

—————————————

“I told you”, Raghav said as we were walking in the corridor. “What?”, I said. “That, it is not a serious issue to talk about”, he said.

“Yes you were right. Now I should go to the nets”, I said. ‘You seem excited”, Raghav said enthusiastically.”You never joined me, now you are also bunking classes”, Raghav smiled.

“But what I am doing is official. I am atleast not hiding from someone”, I mocked him.

He kept quiet.

“Now I should go to nets’, I said again.

—————————————

“Hey you here, has teacher sent you?”, a friend of mine said to me while bouncing the leather ball.

“No, I have come here to play”, I said defensively. “Oh that’s a surprise come come”, he said.

He greeted me with the coach. I read his badge “Sunil Joshi COACH”

“First fielding practice, after that batting, bowling and other things”, the coach said. His words sounded like a punishment to me. “Ok”, I obliged.

The sudden transition from atoms, metals, particles to catches, batsman, pads was not something I adopted easily.

“Sir but where to go?”, I asked. “Don’t you see those guys doing catching practice there, go run”, he screamed. “The coach was a strict one but better than the chemistry teacher screaming at me !!”, I thought while going towards those guys doing catching practice.

“I wanted to bat rather than doing these nonsense catching practice especially after that catching debacle during my morning walk.”, I thought as I reached near those boys. All were wearing white T-shirts and white pajamas and were standing in a circle. A lean boy wearing casual clothes was at the centre giving them the catching practice. Maybe he was the assistant coach.

“Here, take it”, he threw the ball towards me as I joined the circle.

The ball was rushing towards me like a bullet. I concentrated towards the ball as I was determined to catch it this time !!

Thank you for reading.

To be continued…………..

Part 1- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/02/170/

Part 2- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/03/174/

I reached home. Virat Kohli was batting on the second day of first test match between India and England in Ranchi. I saw his score. He was batting at 243*. I got excited and sat to watch. “Everytime cricket! Get ready for the school”, my father entered the room with a shaving brush and a mug. I went to the bathroom.

———————–

“Be at your quickest”, the conductor ordered as I was crossing the road to get into the bus. We reached school and I met Raghav. “So what’s the plan for today?”, he said.

Raghav was one of my friend in school who was never ready to attend classes. He always wanted someone to give him company for bunking classes.

“Raghav I have told you many times that I am not interested in bunking classes”, I said.

“Anirudh, I have also told you many times to join me!”, he imitated me. “You told me that you don’t like attending classes then why you….. “

“I am getting late, you coming or not”, I interrupted.

“No”, he said frustrated.

———————

“Anirudh, tell me what is an atom”, the teacher asked.

“Ma’am, it’s th…….the smallest particle of a matter”, I answered but with a little murmuring.

“Good, sit down”, she said.

As I sat, I started peeping out of the window! Children playing cricket. Practicing for their upcoming matches.

Then I saw Raghav in the playground. He was roaming around here and there all alone. I wanted to complain about him but my head denied.

Suddenly something hit my head. I got up to react but saw the teacher standing near my seat. “Why don’t you join them”, she said.

————————-

“That’s a good thought”, Raghav said. “What?”, I asked. “That you should join us in the playground”, he said.

“I would have thought about it, but if I have to join you, I’ll never do it”, I joked. “Oh! Not me. But you should start playing cricket”, he clarified.

I kept quiet.

“Also all day you talk about cricket. Then you should start playing cricket. You’ll have your time pass and I’ll have my company”, he smiled as he sat on his bike.

“But there’s a difference in playing and watching”, I said.

“Who is talking about professional?”, he said. “It’s just for fun and that’s all”, he added.

For the first time in my life, I was listening to Raghav very carefully.

“Okk I’ll think about it”, I lied as I climbed the stairs of the bus.

————————–

586-8 read the scoreboard when I reached home. I opened the cricbuzz app in my phone and saw Kohli’s score. He got out at 243. That meant he got out as soon as I went to the bathroom. “That’s strange”, I thought

” Hey who’s Raghav”, my brother Aakash asked me. “He’s my friend”, I said. “But what happened”, I asked. “He’s calling me again and again, are you not answering his call? “, he asked.

“My phone is dead and nobody in this house is giving me the charger, how can I answer the call?”, I said indicating towards my charger which he kept with him as his was not working.

He gave me the charger and said, ” Charge your phone and tell your friends not to call me. I am doing some important stuff!! “

“Ohhk ok”, I ignored him as I was busy plugging the charger.

——————————–

“Hey what happened”, I said to Raghav as I lay on my bed while turning the AC on. “What nothing? “, he said innocently.

“Then why you kept calling my brother”, I said stressfully. “Oh that. I just wanted to you to remember about the cricket and all”, he remembered finally.

“Oh no! I forgot to talk about that with my father”, I said. “But what to talk about? There is no fee issue. This is a school activity. It’s free!, he explained. I could sense his smile.

“But I will give away my two study periods to this free activity. That is something I want to take permission for”, I said.

“You see bro! Your take. I don’t see anything to take permission for”, he said.

“I’ll ask for it tomorrow morning”, I said.

Thanks for reading !

To be continued………….

Part 1- https://kunal15.art.blog/2020/06/02/170/

“Hi”, I said. It was 5 in the morning. I was wearing T-shirt and pajamas.

“Hey Rohan ! What’s up?”, Anirudh said surprisingly as he adjusted his cricket kit.

Anirudh was my classmate in tenth standard. He had changed his school for eleventh as our school was not good for commerce.

“Fine bro. How are you?”, I said.

“I am great bro. What are you doing here?”, he said.

“What would a person do at 5 in the morning”, my mind wanted me to say but I resisted.

” Just completing my maths problems”, I said sarcastically. I wanted him to realize that the question he asked was useless.

“Ahn, jokes?”, he said while looking towards the vehicles on the road.

“Oh ! Are you waiting for someone?”, I said.

“Yes my father is coming to pick me up”, he said.

“By the way, how’s your new school”, I inquired.

“Not so good ! But better then the previous one. The cricket facilities are good there! “, he mocked.

“Oh OK nice. But, Your previous school has also changed a little”, I said.

“Better then”, he said as he saw his father coming on a TVS scooter.

“Namaste Uncle”, I said.

“Hi beta! How are you?”, Uncle said.

“Fine Uncle! Just came for a walk”, I smiled as Rohan gazed at me. Maybe he was thinking that why couldn’t I say the same line to him.

Anirudh and his dad started talking as they drove away from me. Maybe Rohan was telling his father who I was.

I wore my earphones back as I continued to walk further.

“Catch it”, a guy screamed.

A ball, high in the air was rushing towards me. I positioned my hands to catch the ball but I couldn’t. It fell down. I picked up the ball and threw it towards that guy. He caught it so easily and went back to play.

I took a glimpse of my either sides to know whether someone has noticed my failure in catching the ball. I walked further without wearing the earphones.

I was watching those guys play while walking. They were from ‘Elite academy’. They came here daily to play for two three hours. Rohan is also part of them but he returned early today. “God knows why”, my mind said.

My phone was vibrating. I took it out and ‘Aakash’ flashed on the screen. I picked it up and he shouted, “Hey you idiot! When will you come home? Don’t you have to go to school”. “Just coming in 2 minutes”, I said uninterested. I then took a U turn and walked back home !!

Thank you for reading.

To be continued…

“2 kg Gulab jamun,1kg Dhokla with chutney”, the shopkeeper called me to take my order while an Uncle staring at me as if I snatched the Dhokla piece from his mouth.

As soon as I get out of the shop, mummy calls, “Beta jaldi aa, vo aate hi honge”Come fast they are reaching, she said. “Hnji mummy Aara Huin bs”yes just coming. And I started walking towards home.

As I was walking on the edge of the road, a teen maybe of my age was riding a bike so fast, that my mind started singing,” Dhoom machale, Dhoom machale, Dhoom Dhoom”. But after few moments, that guy’s bike slipped on the road, he fell and my mind stopped singing. That was mean of me as I didn’t go for help and ignored the accident. But I had a reason for it, there were many people on road at that time and I was also getting late.

As I moved further, the dhokla Uncle stopped me and said, ” Beta vo mein apna thoda saman ussi Dukan pe bhul gya, Kya tum usse le aaoge” Son I forgot my belongings in that shop, please bring it for me. “The person who is getting late is the most useful in the world right now”,I conflicted in my mind. “Hnji Uncle zroor” Yes uncle definately. I said. I grabbed his belongings back and gave it to him. And after very important formalities of thankyous I proceeded further.

Two youngsters were fighting on the roadside and like every other enthusiastic person, I stopped to inquire. And they both turned out to be my friends. And I don’t know why it is that but it’s very exciting to see your two friends fighting. So, after 15 minutes of full entertainment I interrupted in their fight because it was getting intense now!! So after greeting my friends I proceeded further in full enjoyable mood as I completely forgot about the guests and everything.

So now fortunately I reached near my house and a dog was standing there staring at me like that Dhokla Uncle. I completely ignored him and went ahead but that Dog kept staring at me.

As soon as I was getting inside the house, the guests were coming out. Yes they were coming out !! And my mother stared at me. I shivered. I doubted, “Mummy ab inka kya Krna h? What to do with these now? (pointing to the sweets packet).

She shouted, “Seer pe rakhde mere”Keep it on my head. I was confused and my mind said, “Really”. “Kya Karu ab Khale inko”What to do?now eat it”,she said.

I was delighted!! This type of meal after such a tough journey was worth it !

The thief returned yesterday!!!!!

Yes he returned. And I was awake AGAIN!!

I don’t know why but he came and again did the same ie peeped through. So now again the conversation starts:

Me: (in surprise)You are such a weird thief. You came again. Do you posses brain or you left it somewhere?

Thief: Hey first of all, the thing you did to me previously I knew that and intentionally I made myself look fooled. So don’t be oversmart this time. I’ll not do such things this time. Infact I have brought a knife……….!

Me:(interrupting)Have you ever gone to school in your life?

Thief: Yes I have gone(proudly) ! But who are you to ask me this?

Me: (completely ignoring the second line) OK! So you have gone to school ,you must know that English language has 26 letters. And they combine to form words. So, there’s a word called POLICE(saying as clearly as I could). Have you ever heard of it?

Thief: Yes of course.

Me: Still you came here again?

Thief: Man you see. It’s my business. And my business is my business none of your business.

Me: Oh OK. So it’s your business(while taking a yawn as I was feeling sleepy)

Thief: Yes it’s my business my previous generations were also involved in it. My father and my grandfather were also expert in stealing things(saying proudly as if he owns a MNC). They were expert in their profession.

Me: Oh! But you have not inherited their traits (with a little smile)

Thief: Hey don’t mess with me. I am also expert like them.

Me: Oh I see! Probably that’s the reason you were fooled last time.

Thief: Hey I told you na? I did it intentionally.

Me: Ohhk. But why have you come this time? What do you want?

Thief: I am a thief (frustrated with me) and I have come here to do the things a thief does.

Me: Your dialogues are just the same! Can’t you think of something new.

Thief: I am not performing a skit you see! YOU LITTLE BOY!

Me: (stuck at the last three words) I think your memory is also weak! And maybe your eyes too!

Thief: Hey you have wasted my lot of time now(opening the gate with the knife) Now I have to do my real work.

Me: Oh OK?(thinking of a plan) See up there at the front house.

Thief: Hey I’ll not be fooled this time(showing a devil smile)

Me: That means you were fooled last time.

Thief: Yes I was. But not this time that’s for sure.

Me: (looking up) But this time there’s no need to fool you.

Thief: Yes now you seem to be a good boy!

Me: Because there is really a man on that roof !!

Thief: Hey you stop kidding child. There is no one I know that(trying hard to open the gate)

Suddenly comes a heavy voice ” Hey who are you? What are you doing? Why are you opening the gate?

Thief: No sir. Nothing nothing (starts running away while looking at that man)

He is vanished in a millisecond !!

Me to the uncle: Thank you Uncle! I think your house is anti- thief! If not living beings then non- living things come to the rescue !!(referring to the statue)

And that’s it !! It’s over.

— A Dreamer

PS- This is the continued version of part one . Read here the part one: http://kunal15.art.bloghttps://kunal15.art.blog/2020/05/26/146/http://kunal15.art.blog

Time: 2:10am

Everyone else- Slept

Me- Just going to sleep but suddenly notices a beam of light peeping through the gap between the pillar and the gate.

Scene: I went ahead to inquire. And! My suspicion was right! It was not just a light peeping through but also a man. Or to be more precise A THIEF.

I saw him! He saw me. And to my surprise instead of running away,

He said to me: Hey you little boy just let me in else I’ll harm you.

Me: *thinking why he called me little*

Thief again said: Hey you tiny fellow I am talking to you, let me in OR I’ll not spare you.

Me to thief(who seemed to be five feet tall) : How dare you call me little and tiny, I am almost one feet taller than you. Just stay in your limits! And why am I even talking to you? You just get out. It’s my house!

Thief: (while trying to open the gate) Hey you! Don’t be oversmart. Once I come in you’ll not be spared.

I was pretty sure that he’ll not be able to come in as:

1)The door was locked so coming through normal way was not possible at all.

2) And if he tried to jump and come I am enough strong to push him back (as I am one feet taller than him)

But he was more stupid than I expected he didn’t even try to jump, he just kept pushing the gate to open it with his bare hands.

Still I had to do something to make him run away!

But the thief interrupted again:

He: Are you not scared of me? I’ll take you with me and your parents will not even get to know!

I said to him: Look at that house(gesturing towards the front house) no no not down! look at the roof. The man standing there showing his back knows me well! If he turns and sees you, he’ll call police and you’ll be arrested. So I assume it’s better to run away than to get arrested.

Thief: *runs away*

But wait where’s the twist?

Right here:

The man standing there was actually a cardboard statue which my neighbours had bought for their kids to play!

But now my parents woke up as the thief produced some sound when he ran away. I told them everything and they praised me.

I felt very proud for what I did but unfortunately………………………………………………….. I WOKE UP

Thanks for reading:)

– A Dreamer

Our reason for happiness has changed during this lockdown.

For example:

1) Whenever we get to know about the news that some shops have opened in our town, we feel a little happy over that.

Now think🤔 Had you felt this happiness if everything was normal and one shop had opened in your town after many days?

2) Whenever we get to know that our honourable Prime Minister is going to address the nation, we get excited thinking he is going to announce some relaxation.

Had this been a normal day, we would not be that excited.

Now think if this was a normal day, you would’nt be sitting and reading my blog and instead be busy with your respective works. And maybe I would have also not started writing blogs.

I know it’s an obvious thing but I wanted to share it😁