Hi!
Well, there is so much that has happened where I juggle with the sequence of the happenings..!It was one of those evenings, while I had come back from school and you know very well as kids in the colony, we are of wide age bandwidth from 4th standard to secondary school both boys and girls...
I take this opportunity to mention the kids with whom , i had spent those memorable days...my immediate next door neighbor was this Doctor uncle whose kids.. Gayathri whom we fancied calling Ghaye, Babhi & Raja were twins... ( where Raja was most pampered at his house by his Granny being the only male sibling in their family)then next to their house - came John- this kid joined us for a stint of a year then he had shifted,then after his house was the family that had been associated with our family right from my Dad's early days in Railways, Mr. Shanmuganathan. the kids, Shanti- quite studies girl was at her 10th and next to her was Rajendran we called him "Periyavan" the Sindhu was called as "Sinnavan"then behind our house were the quarters for the nurses and their kids too would be a part of our team... my most favorite was Shiva and he had brothers- Rajesh who had never blended into our team, then Bharani and his sister Sridevi...also I should not miss on B.Ram... a notorious person who had reputation in school, that was too difficult for me to make him get accepted in our group... On the other side was my classmate Baskar was there but he never joined this clan ,as and when ever time permits he would always make fun me of with other classmates that I am getting along with kids..there were other kids who would join us on and off!!! and also I should say that,... i was such a guy that I was playing "Hide & Seek " with these guys even when I had joined hotel after completing my catering college... sounds .. silly & funny.. but that is the fact...
Well that evening the whole crowd had gathered and we only had the bat and tennis ball... we were getting bored playing cricket.. then one of us prompted that we would "French Cricket" I assume!!- you wonder what in the world it is.. The game is like this.. as usual two teams will be split ( the whole group to two)the team that elects to bat will stand in the middle.. standing erect.. holding the bat will draw the circle around...and the opponent team will stand 6 paces away from the batsman in all directions as fileders...The batsman standing in the circle has to hit the ball and gather runs by circling the bat around him by changing hands and meanwhile the fielding team would attempt to make him out by hitting the ball on his legs below the knee...It sounds little off but it used to be such fun with kids around, yelling, shouting, trying to pull each others legs.. making fun of and cracking jokes.. that day to started of with such fun and frolics..
Raja, me, shiva and Rajendran we decided to play French Cricket.. eventually all agreed .. but the younger kids who had been playing marbles the did not join.. it was Sindh & Bharani.. but eventually they to joined. Ghaye, Shanti and other 3-4 neighboring girls to sat in front of the house to watch us playing... The game was taking a serious pitch.. I was chiding.. Sindhu & Bharani as they both again began playing marbles sitting in the perimeter as they did not get the chance to bat.. whilst the game had got little too serious with the scoring..
It was my turn to bat, even before going to bat , I cautioned to get up and be a part of the game rather sitting in the middle which could be dangerous...he was laughing at me...then for a while .. I was playing .. while I had a go at the ball which I had hit well too far... I was circling the bat a bit too fast.., the bat grip was of rubber and with the sweaty palm, the grip became slippery and it flew away from my hand.. first all started laughing, as i was jumping.. within the circle to avoid getting out.. eventually sindhu who was also laughing suddenly started screaming... and his hand was covering his mouth--,.. which started dripping with blood...
It took almost a minute to realize that Sindhu was struck by the bat that flew from my hand...By the time I could reach him.. the other kids who were there all had vanished like birds get scattered after hearing the gunshot.. it was just Me, Shiva, Raja and Rajendran..and also the girls who were watching us..I was so afraid to think of the consequences.. first.. Sindhu's parents have gone out of station for a marriage and only his Dad was expected some time later that night..in my house too all had gone out for some marriage.. I just yelled at Shanti to get the hospital card and follow me to the hospital.. I asked Raja to get me a towel.. he was not serious and he was laughing around.. Shiva somehow realized the situation he hurried to Shanti,s place and grabbed a towel.. meanwhile I had asked Ghaye & Babhi to get me some chilled water and ice cube..I made a icepack with the towel and ice cubes and splashed some chill water on his face.. I was jinxed seeing Sindhu first laughing looking at me as he said he had no pain...but you know. .. the bleeding had not stopped..I grabbed him held his face upright and carried him to the hospital.. at the casualty there was a House surgeon.. seeing us she was puzzled.. first pulled me to the dressing table.. seeing the blood bath all over me.. then.. I explained about the patient .. seeing him.. she called in for the compounder to get the operation theater ready.. I was cursing myself.Eventually Shanti came telling that she could not find the card.. by then as Raja's Dad was on Duty somewhere in the hospital heard about the accident came rushing to the casuality department.. I was shiverings to my legs.. did not want to assume anythink.. I was certain to be be heavily punished...but also listening to the parents of Sindhu..too it was getting little bit delicate for me.. imagining the brawl between the families... unthinkable...it was getting dark.. I did not have the guts to get back home.. Shanti was crying seeing her brother being taken to the operation theatre.. and just Shiva Raja and Rajendran were standing after some time when Doctor uncle came Raja vanished from the scene...I was sweating all over and my dress was completely soaked with blood I was looking quite ghastly.....
Later Doctor uncle came and said that Sindhu has a fracture on his nose and that it is not anything serious to be worried about..nevertheless staring at me through his spectacles... that still more trobled me assuming that the issue was serious.. by his look!!!!
Then it was around 9-00 p.m. Sindhu's Dad came , he was too casual.. went to see the duty doctor, he walked over to me.. within that moment.. I was thinking.. that I am going to be very badly handled...seing his extra casualness.. but actually he was to compassionate.. he said.."Well, Sekar, that is just an accident... why do you look so horrified..?!!" then I gathered my wits, and apologized to him... and even after that I did not have the nerves to go home.. meanwhile the servants at home had already related to my Parents who had returned from the marriage, meanwhile, Sindhu,s father had called my Dad and smoothened the situation...
I reached home through the back door with blood soaked dress, changed my dress washed it clandestinely and had a bath and walked in front of my Dad, I was sure to get some severe punishment.. but some miracle had happened,I escaped with minor scolding and if I remember it.. we never played "French Cricket "after that incident and poor Sindhu had to undergo the treatment for Nose Fracture and he was not able to talk normally as the fractured bones hindered his nasal cavity and his tone - voice changed very badly after that accident!!!... quite a bizarre accident were even today I feel very bad for Sindhu.....
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