Three Mistakes Of My Life Part 22

'Everyone,' Fred clapped his hands, 'let's sit down.'

We sat down on the pitch around Fred in a circle.

'You are big boys and tough players. You want to give it your all. But I can't emphasise it enough - respect your body's limits 'I do,' Ish said, feeling compelled to speak, 'but there was a single there. And that is what we Indians miss. We don't want to dive. We don't want to take risks.'

'The game is not about being macho. You can't get caught up in the moment so much that you forget.'

'Forget what?' I said.

'Forget that you got one fragile body. Lose it, and you are gone, You must safeguard it. And Ish, you must protect your student.'

Ish hung his head low.

'I had just started my career when my nasty back almost finished it,' Fred said.

'I'd have been selling suits at a store for the rest of my life, as that is the only job I could get.'

He added, '1 made the same mistakes, wanting to kill myself for the game I played that day. But if you want a career, think long term. Yes, pa.s.sion is important. But the head has to be clear during the match.'

Ish apologised to Fred later in the locker room. 'I'd never let Ali get hurt.'

'The kid is good. I have a little surprise for him. You leave Sunday evening, right?'

'Yes, in two days,' Ish said.'Can't believe the week went by so fast.'

'Sunday breakfast is on me. I want you guys to meet someone important.'

? Bondi beach is so beautiful that it needs a coffee table book of its own. First, the sky. The Australian sky is a different colour from India. It actually looks the same as the sky blue colour in paint shops and is so crisp that your eyes hurt.

There is no pollution. The sea is visible for miles. At the sh.o.r.e, the Pacific Ocean meets the powdery sand to create perfect waves. They are strong enough to surf on, yet soft enough to make you relax.

But that summer, the nicest part about the beach was its people - those who were not men. That is, those who were women. Gorgeous and topless. And if you've never seen a topless woman in your life before, places like this did things to you.

'There must be a hundred women here," Ish whistled. And each one a knockout!'

It was true. It was like all the beautiful women in the world emailed each other and decided to meet at Bondi.

'You want an umbrella?' I said as we parked ourselves at a scenic spot. Six topless women played Frisbee there.

'Wow, you can actually see their ni ... wow,' Omi pointed out helpfully.

'There are a hundred women here. So we have two hundred b.r.e.a.s.t.s to look at,'

I said and was teased for bringing maths everywhere.

Having grown up in a place where sleeveless blouses cause scandals, tops-off is what an MBA type would call a 'paradigm shift'.

'I could not play with them. I'd never look at the Frisbee Ish said.

'Check that blonde one, wow, she is ma.s.sive,' I said. Oh well when in Disneyland, play.

'This is what heaven must look like. My eyes are tired from not blinking,' Omi said.

It is funny but the bare-b.r.e.a.s.t.s became routine in a few minutes. I guess you get used to good things fast. I'd much prefer to see one topless woman every day for hundred days, rather than a hundred at once. I sat down on the sand. Ish and Omi soon went for a swim in the sea and to see if wet and topless women looked even hotter wet. Yes, we are a sick bunch.

I noticed a brunette in an umbrella next to me. She wore a shirt on top of her bikini and had her back to me. Her long black hair fell over her thin back. She applied something in her half, probably oil or lotion or any such thing that girls feel is essential to their existence.

Something hurt inside me. I felt like someone pounded my chest. The brunette rubbed her hair exactly like Vidya. I saw Omi and Ish splashing in the water at a distance. They laughed as the pushed each other down.

Random thoughts circulated in my head, like oiled fingers in hair. Wouldn't it be nice if Vidya was here? Isn't this what she longed for most? Freedom above all else? Didn't she have the Bondi spirit, even though I'd have killed her if she walked around in a bikini. Wait a minute, I'd kill her or her brother Ish would kill her? Why should I care? But I did say I would kill her? And why am I thinking of her when there are so many beautiful topless women to distract me right now?

And why do I think of her every night before I go to bed? And why does my mind not stop asking stupid questions?

If you began to miss a girl thousands of miles away even with naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s around you, something is seriously wrong. I opened my notebook that I carried everywhere. I wanted to make a budget for the next three months. I found a long strand of hair. It didn't belong to Ish or Omi or me. Only one person that I knew had long hair. The notebook I had opened to forget her made me miss her even more.

Omi came running to me. Water dripped from him and fell on my legs. I closed my book.

'The water is amazing. C'mon inside,' he said, catching his breath.

'No, I have work. I have to make a call,' I said. 'Call who?'

'Suppliers,' I said without making eye contact. 'From here? Isn't it expensive?'

'Short call, need some coins,' I said as I collected the change.

'You are working on Bondi? Whatever, I am diving in again,' Omi said and ran back to the sea.

I collected my belongings and walked back to the beach shopping area. I found a public phone.

I dialed her number.

CHAPTER Fourteen

The phone rang twice. I disconnected it. I thought about leaving the booth. I re- inserted the coins and dialled again. 'h.e.l.lo? Ishaan bhaiya?' Vidya said as she picked up the phone.

The phone gobbled two dollars worth of coins. I cut the phone again. f.u.c.k, what the h.e.l.l was I doing? I called again with fresh coins. She picked up instantly. 'Bhaiya, can you hear me?'

I did the cheesiest thing possible. I just breathed. I must have come across as a pervert, but I could not find anything better to say.

'Govind?' she said, her voice careful. Had she guessed my breath? What is with this kid? 'Hi,' I said. I could not contain myself any longer. 'Govind, wow. I saw the international number. So, tell me?' Of all the phrases ever said on the phone, I hate 'tell me' the most. Do I have to tell something just because I have called?

'Well, I...'

'How is Australia? Having fun? Tell me?'

I could kill her if she said tell me again. But maybe I should just tell her something, I thought.

'Yes, it is nice. You will like this place,' I said.

'Which place? Tell more no? Where are you now?'

'Bondi beach. It is beautiful. Such a perfect place,' I said. Of course, I gave stupid descriptions. But you try to call a girl you are not supposed to call for the first time.

To add to the nervousness, the phone consumed coins at a ferocious pace. I kept adding more change as the d.a.m.n phone ate a dollar every thirty seconds.

'Wow. I have never seen a real beach in my life. How is it? Does the water never end? Can you keep looking until forever?'

'Yeah, and the sky is endless too.' Duh! Say something more than borrowing from her phrases.

'Where are Ish and Omi?'

'They are in the water. I am in a booth,' I said.

She asked the one question I did not want her to ask.

'So, how come you called?'

'Oh nothing. How is the preparation going? Integration is quite important you know.'

'You called about integration?'

'Well, and other...'

'Do you miss me?'

'Vidya.'

'What?'

'Don't ask silly questions.'

'I miss you. A lot actually,' she said. Her voice became heavy. 'Ok, that's well, that's ... wow,' I said, champion of nonsensical, monosyllabic responses.

'Yeah, and not as a tutor. As a friend. As a very good friend.'

A 'very good friend' is a dangerous category with Indian girls. From here you can either make fast progress. Or, if you play it wrong, you go down to the lowest category invented by Indian women ever - rakhi brother. Rakhi brother really means 'you can talk to me, but don't even freaking think about anything else you bore'. A little voice in my mind shouted at me, 'tell her you miss her stupid, or you'll be getting rakhis for the rest of your life.'

'I do. If you were here, Sydney would be more fun.'

'Wow, that's the nicest thing you ever said to me.'

I kept quiet. When you have said something nice, don't be in a hurry to speak again and ruin the good line.

'Can I get you anything from here?' I said.

'Tight budget, isn't it?' she said.

'Yeah, but a little something won't hurt...,' I said.

'I have an idea. Get me some sand from the beach you are on right now. That way I will have a piece of Sydney with me.'

Sand? Now that was a weird request. At least it was cheap. Free, rather.

'Really?' I said.

'Yeah, bring me a matchbox full of sand. And put some feelings in it if there is s.p.a.ce,' she said.

The phone display blinked. It threatened me to feed it with more money or my first romantic conversation would be murdered. I had no coins left.

'Listen, I have to go now. No more change,' I said.

'Sure, come back soon. Someone's missing you.'

'Back in three days. I miss you too,' I said and cleared my throat. Wow, I could actually say what I felt after all.

'And I want to tell you something...,' she said.

'What?'

Beep. Beep. Beep. A stupid Australian company called Telstra ruined my first romantic moment.

I walked back. I thought about the girl who only wanted sand. I also thought how much money telecom companies must make given a tiny call cost me as much as a meal.

I pa.s.sed a trendy outdoor restaurant called Blue Orange Cafe. Australians give the word laid-back new meaning. People sit with a gla.s.s of beer for hours.

Beautiful waitresses scampered around getting people burgers and toasted sandwiches.

I took a match box from the bar and emptied the sticks in a dustbin. I walked back to the sh.o.r.e until the surfy water touched my toes. I looked around and bent over. I stuffed some sand in the matchbox and put it in my pocket.

'Hey, what are you doing?' Omi said as he emerged from the waves like the world's ugliest mermaid.

'Nothing, what are you doing this side? The waves are better at the other end,' I said.

'I came to meet you. Can I borrow a few coins for a c.o.ke. I feel thirsty.'

'Coins are finished. Have some cash left for today, but let's use it to eat lunch.'

'Finished?' Omi said.