Pritam's Blog
Cricket, Cigarettewala & A Little Malice
Nothing makes the Indian crowd happier than a cricket match on a Sunday morning. I am so happy that I am far away from my family right now. You can imagine what it’s like to be at home when everyone in your big family is crazy about cricket.
Anyway, I spent my day in the balcony. I love this place. It’s standing here and watching the busy crowds down on the street I got ideas for many of my writings… Hundreds of them…
But today is different. Even the sabjiwalas and the fruit vendors,not to mention the passer by, are peeking through the transparent glasses of the shops,to have a glimpse of the match on the TV. Boring.
I look at the new cigarettewala across the street. He looks so scared. I watch him and try to figure out why he is so scared. I see no reason at all. He is doing quite well-there are lots of customers around him,he is busy making ‘paan’ for one, giving cigarette to the other…
One guy comes out of the crowd and lights a cigarette.The cigarette wala has put a ‘No Smoking’ sign, a computer print out with a transparent plastic cover on it, on the wall behind him.But nobody seems to bother. Now this might be a reason why he is scared, I thought. If the police comes by, they will catch the cigarettewala,may be for selling cigarettes or for letting his customers smoke in a public area. The men in uniform have the right to do so, you see. They have the right to do anything. And then they will take his hard earned money. I have seen it happening many times. And the cigarettewala can’t even say anything to those smokers. He will lose the customers. Nobody wants a cigarettewala who asks them not to smoke near his shop.
And there are these local goons,those ‘good for nothing’ middle aged jobless people who never pay for the cigarettes and paan. You see, you have to bear with these people if you want to see your small box in good shape next morning-where you keep your cigarettes and paan,which is everything you have got to survive in this city.They might burn it at night. Or worse they might beat you for asking money from them.
There is same threat from all those teenagers who have just started smoking or eating paan but do not have money to pay for,and the drunkards too…
No wonder he is so scared all the time.
As the day to leave Bangalore approaches, I feel desperate. I envy all these people who would stay here while I am gone…Even this cigarettewala… But then, he is here even though it scares the shit out of him because probably he has to get his sister married and the dowry is too much. Maybe he has to pay for his father’s medicines. And I want to stay here just because I love it here. It’s not an obligation. I can go back and come as I wish.
India won the match today. And a part of me was happy about it. Cricket fan or not, it feels good to see your country doing good. No, I am not celebrating it. But there are people who are. They are boozing, having party tonight.
And the cigarettewala is more scared now. Cause India won the match. Cause these drunk cricket fanatics would come now and take cigarettes from him. They will say,“Paisa kya mangta hai bhosadike? Jeet ki khushi mein pila raha hai tu…”
Suddenly, I don’t feel happy anymore…