SANJAAY...


Sanjaay threw a citrus fruit straight up in the air. He then caught it with the accuracy of a cricketer.
The ‘game’ was on. He was not successful in all the attempts he made. The fruit sometimes slipped out of his hand while catching. But that didn’t bother him.
Was it a catch-practice session? No, ‘uska dimag kharab ho gaya hai’ (something wrong with his mind), said the ice cream vendor, who was clueless about how many times Sanjaay threw the fruit up in the air. And how often he caught it. Dropped it.
Saanjay even risked his life getting on the road while running to catch the ball 
But there was skill. He knew how to handle the traffic
People gave him dolls, shirts...He accepted gifts, but never asked anyone for money
Sanjaay never looked at people who watched his action.
His game began with throwing the citrus fruit up in the air and ended by catching it
He jumped, slipped and at times fell down.
Did he miss any important catch while playing cricket in his younger days?
Or, did he miss a train?
Every time when he threw the fruit up in the air,






it took a dusty turn from his hand, drawing a question mark in the air.

The fruit ball never gave him a proper answer
Rather it made him play
Repeatedly…


(It was while waiting for the Delhi Tourism’s Hoho (hope-on-hope-off) bus in front of the National Bal Bhavan on Kotla Road, I met Sanjaay.)


Comments

Usha Ramani said…
May be he was interested in the concept of gravity...in an obliviously playful manner.
8:29 am
Salil said…
I enjoyed reading this
7:30 am
mtsaju said…
thanks, Usha, Salil...
7:39 am
Dr B Jambulingam, Assistant Registrar (Retd), Tamil University said…
A touching message with your touch. Thank you.
2:57 am
mtsaju said…
thanks, Jambulingam sir...
7:36 am
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