I Used to Know a Boy

I used to know a boy,

His name was D.

His favourite pastime,

Was to make fun of me.

I used to know a boy,

His name was D.

Thin as a stick,

Tall as tall can be.

He used to be funny,

He used to be smart;

We became great friends,

Right from the start.

I used to know a boy,

He was my confidante.

But then one day,

He broke my trust.

I used to know a boy,

I thought we were best friends,

We used to share everything,

 Even our deepest secrets.

But things went wrong,

And he abandoned me.

My deepest darkest secrets,

He lay bare for all to see.

I couldn’t forgive him this,

I couldn’t let it go.

He said he was sorry;

But I wasn’t sure.

Then I had two options,

To give him a second chance;

Or ask him to be on his way,

Without a backward glance.

But friendship is strange that way,

It’s not easy to let go;

They say a tear can never mend,

But breaking up is a bigger blow.

So  I let it go,

And we were pals again;

And since that day he’s never

Given me a chance to complain.

So I guess what I’m saying,

Is to give up the strong stance;

To trust somebody once again,

To give friendship a second chance.

Up Close and Personal with Jonty Rhodes

Taking interviews has always been fun, but when the interviewee in question is fielding legend Jonty Rhodes, it’s a different issue altogether.

Eager to meet him, I waited for him to arrive at the decided time – 1.30pm. However, half past one came and went, and Jonty only made an appearance at 2.10pm, 20 minutes before his fielding camp at Mumbai’s Western Railway Cricket Ground was supposed to start. While waiting for him though, I had, if not a fun time, an interesting one at least. From 1.30pm to 2pm I walked around the perimeter of the grounds and, being dresses formally, got suitably stared at by the sportspersons present there. Since it was the ground at the Western Railway Sports Association, all the sportspersons were present. It was only post 2pm that the kids who were going to be a part of Jonty’s camp started arriving. No sooner had they entered the premises than they started worrying about their clothes and gear. One of them insited on changing into his protective guard right there, in the passageway! He would have, too, had it not been for one of the tall men, quite possibly one of the WR athletes, who put forth the idea that the child change in the men’s dressing room.

Did I say tall player? Oh my, were they tall, and how! Just that morning I’d been speaking with some colleagues about how Indian men aren’t tall, and here were these 6’4”, 6’5” specimens, whose sole agenda seemed to be to prove me wrong. And boy, were they good looking!

So, after all this, Jonty finally arrives and I went up to himt o ask about the interview. Turns out, he wasn’t aware there was supposed to be one! And since he was short on time, he couldn’t spare a few minutes then. Damn! I was told to return at 5.30pm, after the camp got over. Would he give me an interview then? Only time would tell...