We Love You, Appa!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The World Cup...and Appa must be smiling!
There are some times when a person's absence is more keenly felt than at others. Cricket is one of those things that cannot happen without Appa's memory--and his absent presence--joining us (I won't say "intruding" because it is his memory that makes it complete, in a funny sort of way, so it could never be an intrusion). This was the first ICC World Cup that Appa missed. It's also the first Cup that we watched with him in Vikrampuri. Every time the series was played, since 1999, he has been in the US, with Shekar, and I've heard stories of him getting up at unearthly hours, watching first on a computer hook up and then on a satellite hook up, as technology and global television advanced. He was at one time seriously thinking of going to the event in South Africa but that didn't happen. The years when he was in the US watching the event there, I don't think we missed him as much--if only because we were able to share the experience over email and phone conversations, and of course, follow it up in recaps when he was here watching some other match.
This year we've been at a couple of cricket events where his absence was palpable. The first was on January 15, when Ananya's team played their final game in the South Zone T20 against Karnataka. Amma, Upen and I watched the match race to a nail biting finish, thinking of Appa's reaction to every ball and every run that Karnataka snatched from the team that ultimately won. He would have been cheering louder than any of the parents there, I am sure. The others were of course the last two matches of the World Cup--India vs Pakistan and the Final. He would have intermittently switched off the television and walked out of the room, willing things to happen in India's favour by his actions. And of course there would have been lots of ice cream to celebrate, on both days (maybe jalebis as well on April 2!).
We smile when we think of what he would have said or done, but you can't help feel that tug at the heart ....
This year we've been at a couple of cricket events where his absence was palpable. The first was on January 15, when Ananya's team played their final game in the South Zone T20 against Karnataka. Amma, Upen and I watched the match race to a nail biting finish, thinking of Appa's reaction to every ball and every run that Karnataka snatched from the team that ultimately won. He would have been cheering louder than any of the parents there, I am sure. The others were of course the last two matches of the World Cup--India vs Pakistan and the Final. He would have intermittently switched off the television and walked out of the room, willing things to happen in India's favour by his actions. And of course there would have been lots of ice cream to celebrate, on both days (maybe jalebis as well on April 2!).
We smile when we think of what he would have said or done, but you can't help feel that tug at the heart ....
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