Like many sporting seasons, this one too began much before the first game. And like most friendships theirs began long before they understood what they meant to each other. They met at the stadium and, once it began, it seemed that the magic would never fade. Sheila was shaking with excitement and so was almost everyone there for this much-awaited Indo-Pak match. Never before had she been to a stadium. On previous occasions, the excitement of the match would end as soon as she would switch off her television. But this time she was going to experience real cricket. Thrill, tension and hysterical voices filled the air. To Sheila, everyone around seemed animated about this match. But for her, it seemed like the ultimate match. She was going to see all her admired players. And as she sat in the block, she glanced at the man next to her who seemed to have been there for a long time. Even before the match had begun, he had finished a popcorn packet and was looking for a place to throw the wrapper. Gourmand, she thought. But as the game began, Sheila realised he was not just any ordinary spectator. He seemed like a man of measured conversation, but when he commented in between overs on the players or the game, it seemed he could speak on and on. The match got extremely exciting towards the end. Sachin Tendulkar was on strike. A few balls were left with a huge target on the board. Was India going to romp home the winner? A few thick edges short of the slips, some mis-timed pulls that fell safely, the match had everyone glued to their seats. There was too much at stake for both teams. But soon, the burst of firecrackers suppressed all the other sounds around. India had emerged victorious. Sheila had enjoyed every bit of it. And as she turned, she saw him remove his guiding stick from the pocket. He requested Sheila to take him to the taxi stand outside. Sheila looked at him, now with a quizzical expression. Not knowing how to react, she invited him over for coffee. They discussed every anxious moment in the match. It was almost like an over-by-over report of the match. They recollected shared moments of delight, like when a Pakistani player had missed a catch. But mostly she was too amazed to follow what the man said. How did he speak so accurately about every tactic, every stroke and every catch, she wondered. She was more than astonished. She walked on the road with her eyes shut. She plugged her ears when her favourite band played on the radio. She tried hard to understand his world. Every time, the mystery seemed to deepen, just as their friendship did.
