About four months back, mid year, that was when the football fever had hit them. Right there in Yercaud - so far removed from the streets of Brazil or even West Bengal and the North East which was the main place in India where you found truly football crazy Indians.
How it united the world!! Between cricket and football, Muthu's preference was clear. But who could resist the charm of a football. His entire family and his two close friends waited and watched the matches. They were bewitched*.
Muthu smiled as he recalled the other fun things that came along with the game that season.
While Muthu's buddy, Bala a.k.a. Maamu, ridiculed the octopus which "predicted" the outcome of the matches, his other friend, Jones, wondered if the animal was indeed gifted and could possibly predict how he would fare in his exams!
The ever pragmatic Maamu chided Jones that his results depended solely on his preparation and performance and not on the box chosen by an octopus.
A few months post the football frenzy, Muthu and his buddies had reverted to their first love - cricket. But they did speak ofit sometimes.
"Football, rugby, soccer... they are all the same right?" asked Jones.
"That is like saying lime and lemons are the same," said Bala.
"Why? Aren't they?" quizzed Muthu."No of course not... a lime is smaller than a lemon and it is green in colour. Lemon is bigger and yellow in colour. Furthermore a lime is more sour than a lemon. Lemons and limes are produced by different trees. A lime has denser flesh than a lemon which make sit heaver. When put into a glass or bowl of water, a lime will sink to the bottom, and alemon will fl oat on the top. Have you heard the usage - when life gives you lemons ....."
"Okay! Okay! Got it. Enough about lime and lemons, tell me what is the difference between football, rugby and soccer. And while we are at it, let us have lemon- nolime juice at the canteen." said Jones.
So, the trio walked to the canteen and saw Sivaraman Sir, their sports master, in a bright green shirt. With him was a short and tough looking man, seated erect and sporting a pony tail. Both were enjoying acup of tea.
