The Incident

Have played years of basketball in the phase one court, so have always thought that some day when I actually have a major injury just like many other Drdo basketballing talents, it will be in this very ground. But life does not take the turns you want it to. As I always say. It’s all in the game.

It was around 8 45 in the morning I guess. Had gone with a few of my friends to Drdo phase 2 since they wanted to play badminton there. So since I had no interest what so ever in that game, I preferred to stay on the basketball court. Very surprisingly the phase 2 court which is more often than not deserted was totally crowded with lots of kids. Guess the summer vacations being the reason. So I was just playing there all alone amidst the kids, just running from one basket to the other trying to improve my fitness. Hehe…

When that routine started getting bugging, I just pulled a few 15yr olds who were sitting there to join me so that we could have a small match. So there we were. Five of us playing a half court game. Three on two. It was a slow game with all of us just ambling along and playing. It then just happened that I slightly twisted my ankle, but who cares. As I normally do, I should have just stopped for a while, got it back ready and then continued. But here i was a senior Drdo team player playing with the Drdo under 16 kids. So what will the kids think if I just stop now for such a small ankle twist? So brave heart sandy continued his game. Just limping across the court and still continuing to PERFORM against the KIDS. A harmless looking ball just looped off the fiber board and was coming to the ground when there was a tussle for the rebound. Sandy also being the tallest one there went for it with his twisted ankle. That was it. A crack sound as sandy landed and sandy was on the ground screaming with agony more than pain. I knew something had broken. But the sight when I first saw my foot freaked me out. My foot had come off my ankle joint and had completely dislocated and changed direction. I was screaming when people gathered around and tried to remove my shoe. Most of the kids there freaked out at the mere sight of my foot. It was a scene straight out of a horror movie. My friends arrived by then to help me out. I pulled out my cell and informed Thyagu uncle about it so that he could accompany me to the hospital and some kind soul who was playing tennis in the nearby court volunteered to take me to the hospital in his car(i forgot to even ask him his name).

From there on, sandy started acting like a psycho ;) whether it was to get over the pain or to just reassure myself that it’s not something major. I spoke crap for the next three hours to everyone. Nonstop. From that uncle who took me to the hospital to all the ward boys and doctors in the hospital. Might be it was just out of habit that whatever the situation, SANDY JUST CANT KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT. I sang songs on the way to hospital and took photographs and videos of my broken leg so that I could show it off to all my friends later. It was a scene which I didn’t want any of my friends to miss. Hats off to Miss Sushrutha for holding my broken leg in her hand and sitting throughout our journey to Hosmat without panicking one bit. On the way I made the necessary phone calls to inform the necessary people.

Luckily for me somehow the doctors fixed my leg in the casualty itself after taking a few scans. I did act and behave like a brave boy throughout but there was fear deep down inside me, that I’ve seriously screwed my leg. First impression I thought I will need a surgery and my life’l be screwed for months. Started thinking about family, office and so many other things. How I would become a burden to so many people if I will have to get hospitalized. But luckily for me, it was all over very fast and they asked me to return home after dressing my leg up. So there I was returning home three hours after the dreadful incident. Might be the visit to the ashram a week ago paid off. And a big thanks to all those who helped me today.

But still looking back and thinking about it, I can’t believe how all this could happen when I was playing with a bunch of fifteen year olds, when my legs have got battered ‘N’ number of times while playing all sorts of games by the toughest possible people around and never has anything happened to my beloved legs then. Guess that’s what we call life. The worst of things happen when u least expect it. Might be that’s the reason I got a chance to go to Bombay and represent Bangalore before all this could happen. And I guess that was the maximum I could have dreamt of achieving as an “unprofessional” footballer. Anyways happy to be back, just need three weeks of rest. Really don’t know when I am going to start playing again. Really don’t know if I’ll ever be able to play with the same intensity and passion ever again. Have not started thinking about all that still. So let’s wait and watch, if the world can ever get to see sandy play how he always used to, with passion. Till then lets all keep our fingers crossed. I know its all in the head and more of a mental game from now on. And I also know I have the determination to get back to the best. So if my ligaments permit me to do so, Hehe will be back very soon. Till then. Miss me, all the grounds that I’ve set foot on.

- A Passionate Footballer