humbled... humiliated...

It would have been one of the happiest days of my life. The day on which my eighth standard vocations had started. It was an year in which my fortunes took a turn for good...Two months of cricket..cricket..more cricket and only cricket.. I was on my way home after the day's action: It had been customary that my vacations always started or school days ended with us playing cricket in Palace ground with the fellow model boyites...

In an unforgettable moment, I realized all my dreams collapsed and my vocations could be ruined. . I had left the cricket bat I borrowed from a not-so-close friend of mine in the ground itself. My absent mindness once again poked me, but this time a bit too heavily. The last bit of fading hope deserted me when I found the dead and empty ground on rushing back.. Somebody had taken it..might have used it for firewood

It was one of my childhood desires to possess an SG, a GEM, or a BDM cricket bat, but my miser parents wouldn't buy me one.. And when they bought one, It was a 60 rs. rocking feather weight which could be used for playing badminton...( On retrospection I luv my parents for instilling modesty in me!! wht if they gave me all the things I desire...). Ok now coming back to the story, the one I lost was an SG, a pretty old one ..but a new one costed around 1000 even at that time. I was so affraid to tell this to anyone especialy my parents as if I believed their love for me is not worth sparing 1000 rs on such a petty issue. I was convinced that I should somehow buy a new one or return the equivalent amount.. whom to ask.. whom to beg.. I couldn't steal.. I didnt know any job nor wasn't that gutsy to take up one and make the money myself..

I hit this plan. Started filling a coca-coala ( coke returned to india around that time) can with whatever money I got.. I began looking up in all cup-boards, all table-tops for scattered coins.. Some times I would creep in my parent's bed room when they napped in the afternoons to check-up their cupboards... Was that stealing?. Somehow I never believed collecting scattered coins as stealing..

But how much one can collect that way.. Filled up the can, but it was hardly 100 rs.. The issue did settle. I did not have to use my hard-earned money.. I never told the parents about it yet..
I didnt steal either... Let's leave the 'how' part for the time being... It was settled respectably for both the parties atleast for my mind..

There are some events in our life, which we often wish should never have happened.. If ever I get a time machine to fly back in time, to erase the past, this one would have come second at the top of my priority list.. ( No prize for guessing the first.. But you will never find it out yourself..)

I do often say 'pride' is everything to me.. I give favours but never take any (pls don't misunderstand me here :) ). I never cry, never want anyone to sympathize with me. But somewhere I read if you are not rich, you cannot afford to be proud... People listen to those who earn more money.. those who are more successful in their eyes...

my experience humbled me, lowered my head for a while..made me cry... It taught me many lessons in life.