OMG! (Short Story)

I spread both my arms like the Christ on the cross. The feeling that I was the cynosure of all eyes seemed to be nail me down….

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Of all days Riya had to quarrel today morning - her bone of contention being the fact that I did not reply to her goodnight text. The only alibi I could muster was that I had slept by the time she had messaged. “How can a twenty year old sleep before 10? She countered. Ranting something like “What to do with this girl” I cut the phone.
 
The truth was that I had not slept when she messaged; in fact I had hardly slept last night. We had this important match today- FC Bio vs CFC. Being the goal keeper and captain of my team I was playing out strategies in my mind and a goodnight text seemed too trivial to distract me from my thoughts.
Meanwhile Riya herself was in a quandary. She was increasingly feeling that I was not giving her enough attention while Sachin was overwhelming her with affection.  Riya spoke out loud to herself, “Despite the scant attention I give Sachin he is very concerned about me while on the other hand the silly person whom I care for has hardly time for me. Maybe it’s time I give Sachin a chance and get to know him better”
Today morning Rakesh warned me “Watch out for Sachin, he is the star forward of CFC”. I was oblivious of the fact that I had to watch out for him from making passes at my girl also.
After a rather uneventful match the score line read 0-0 at full time and the game was to be decided through penalties. I had managed to pull off a few spectacular saves and was feeling confident about making a few saves during the penalties also. Seeing the tensed look on Rakesh’s face I told him “Don’t worry macha the match is in safe hands” to which he smiled.
Both I and my counterpart were not able to do much and even after the penalty shoot out the score read 5-5. With the game going into sudden death I realised that I had to stop being reactive and decided that I had to make the first move in the next penalty. Unluckily, Menon missed the penalty and if I was not able to save the next one it was game over for us.
As I took my stand for the crucial penalty I surveyed the vast expanse in front of me. It felt awfully lonely at the goalpost with my team mates far away and the entire crowd watching every movement of mine. Standing there defending my 8 x 8 kingdom I couldn’t help think of how the action of 90 odd minutes finally boiled down to this crucial minute. Life is so often about that minute which could make or break you…
It was Sachin who was taking the penalty kick for CFC and as I stood there with my arms spread I felt like the crucified Christ. It is not like I am not very religious and hence was surprised that such an image crossed my mind but anyways felt like I had God on my side. Something inside my head told me that he will aim for the top right corner and I decided to dive accordingly.
As Sachin took measured steps towards the ball a cry rang out from amongst the audience “Messiah you can do it”. The cry raised a hundred question in my mind-He was the Messiah? Then who am I? The betrayed one? Sachin took the kick and the ball sailed into the net through the top right corner. I could just stand there transfixed like the devil that had seen the God.
As I began the long walk back with my head hung down in shame I wondered “Did I imagine that cry in my head?” I asked Rakesh about the same and he replied “Sachin is the Mess secretary and his nickname is Mess aiyaa but why would it bother you?”I walked away towards Riya without answering his question.
She just hugged me and told “Don’t worry I am sure he was offside or something when he scored!” Oblivious to her previous musings I did not realise that she had made a decision to stick on to me. I just thought to myself “What would I do without her”.
God smiled from above on a match well made.

*Image of Christ as a GoalKeeper is inspired by N.S Madhavan’s Higuitta