FOOTBALL MATCH

FOOTBALL MATCH

It was a time when we moved from away from the temple town to a place called NGO Quarters Thekkummoodu. The address was: Lekshmi Ammal T, No.D5, NGO quarters, Behind PMG Office (Old Engineering College), Plamood, Trivandrum. Those people who lived in Trivandrum during 1960s will know what a place Thekkummoodu was.. The shifting was as if shifting from one culture to another. The NGO quarters was a new thought for the government employees. In those days people never wanted to live in groups. All wanted to live in independent houses with some agri-space. This was a new venture – Mr.Chellam nadar came from Kuzhithurai, Mr varma belonged to Chennithala,etc, from different cultureal background, from different cadres.. There were about a hundred families – quarters were divided into A, B, C D and E, according to their grades in the Office and E is for peons. But we never showed the differences in cadres. We began a new life, away from the temple town, in between non-veg. It was as if we were far away from the city. No noises of buses, and scooters are rare in the campus. . My mother was allotted Quarters no. D5. It was two houses under one tiled roof with a big wall partitioning the two houses. The next house was occupied by one mr ravuther. We never knew that such a man existed there. We saw him in the morning when he goes to office. It was One bed room house, One living room, a varanda and no attached bathrooms. Mr.Varma, Chandrika, Asari, Chellam nadar were our immediate neigbours.

The Quarters is situate just behind the Old Engineering College and we used the short-cut between the College, PMG Training College and City School. The Old Engg College, which boasted of teachers from all over the world was shifted to Karyavattom. This building was in the old Victorian style..there was a similarity between, the Palayam Church, Library, School of Arts. There was a muddy road in between the Old Engineering College campus and the City High School. Yes today’s youngsters do not know that there was a school here. It is now the KSRTC Vikas Bhavan terminal . It was a small bus stop and it was the only place we were afraid to cross the road to get city bus to East fort. Mostly we walked to palayam..The main reason to go to Statue was to get “Rava” from Spencer’s. It was always a long ‘Q’ there. I will be given only the exact change for fear of losing.

I was put in St.Joseph’s High School in the vth std. It was a 15 to 20 minutes walk from the Quarters to my school. Appa and amma had to go to Office by bus from PMG Jn. During those days parents won’t talk of money matters with children. I understood later that moving to quarters saved a lot because the rent was only below ten rupees. During those days, KSRTC charged 10 paise to East fort from PMG. Mr. Winnifred a tall and lean boy , in my class who stayed on the way to the Slaughter house was my friend. As a vegetarian I never knew what a slaughter house means and i was lucky that curiosity on this did not enter my head, or else, I would have been a non veg.
One day there was an announcement in the school. Our School is playing against …school at Military Grounds Pangaode. ..The school will be over by 2 in the afternoon. I also wanted to “hai hai” for my school. “Football” is to me a ball to play by only strong boys and strength is got only by eating hen and cows. But my school should win. I never knew the world outside East fort. This Winnifred and his friends have already planned to go to Pangode. I told him that I too would like to go..But he warned me ..It’s far away and we have to walk. Nothing will go into my head except going to Pangode. He said there is no time to waste..He made out his plans and I have to obey..Though my quarters was just a few furlongs away, I was asked to keep my “sanji” at his house.
Sanji is a cloth bag for carrying books..Leather was so costly that I have not seen any boy bring leather bags..Some smart guys bring books tied with a broad rubber band. The sanji was the easiest way of carrying books. It does not hurt your shoulders also. It can be washed and dried and used for years..The boys cannot cry like the present day children for new set of everything.. every year..
I thought that I could come back by the time my father reaches home. By 4 we will reach the grounds and the match will be over by 5.30. At the maximum by 6.30 we will be back at Winnifreds house. Even then I never thought of the darkness or the dog on the way the things I was usually afraid of.. my only thought was seeing a foot ball match and that my school should win ..
I had to run while Winnifred will walk..His legs are long. After all the fun and our school won the game, we returned back..It was darkness and lamp posts were not so near and we had to take torch light to walk. But walking is easier in those days as we will jump into only a speeding cyclist and enough space that very often we walked in the middle of the road and talking stories..
On reaching back at Winnifred’s house I was afraid of many things, the darkness, the dogs on the way and above all my father..I asked for help.. Winnifred then asked his younger brother to accompany me with a torch light..As it was a straight road inside the quarters, I could see a big crowd before my house..
I was shivering with fear. There was a hushed silence. I heard somebody telling my father “ Now don’t ask anything to the boy. Give him something and let him sleep..” But then I saw Winnifred’s brother was crying..He wan’t somebody to accompany back to his house..Some elders took charge of that..
At home after the usual 4 ‘O’clock, my grandmother started worrying..There was no mobiles .. even land phones were luxuries. As darkness came in, the news spread that I was missing.. the students left school by 2 “O”clock. They never imagined my venturing to see a match without father’s permission..Someone also thought of informing Police..Imagination went wild in the family and more when the crowd swelled.
With great comfort for many the crowd waned away and I was in deep sleep before anybody asking questions.
My father kept the questioning for some other day..