GURU

After my pre university and before my graduation there was a period of two months before I could join studies. During my school days I have seen my brother( who is five years elder to me) wearing karate clothes and shouting "KHEA" , " KATA" and all those sorts of words which were incomprehensible to me at that time. He used to watch Bruce lee movies. Karate started fascinating me. With my busmate and neighbourJohny( was just like johny bravo) thought of joining karate classes during that vacation. My parents approved as I was a nerd or a book worm (most of the time I was is front of TV and notebooks but scored not more than average in class) . My behaviour to unknown persons was also weird (I was highly introvert).My parents thought, if I donot mingle to others i might go mad and those karate classes might give me exposure as I was not having the minimum friends needed for a normal 16 year old. (or classmates) It was like the reasoning question: all my friends were classmates but all my classmates were not my friends).

I joined karate class. Next day Johny introduced my to a Seventy year old man.

He asked me if I was interested to play table tennis. Till then I had never played that game. Johny assured me that I need not worry about anything,just need to come after karate classes to the TT hall in the same building of YMCA hall.

I went there. The old man was sitting there. He came forward and gave me a TT bat. He taught me how to do a forehand drive. He instructed Johny to give me practise.

All the time we were practising he was sitting there watching us play. Next day same exercise. He told me about senior players. How they got drifted from the core of the game. How he taught them. Days moved like that.I met jayaz, jayaraj, anil annan, cheriyan.Asan used to buy tea and bajji for us( for the trio: jaohny jayaz and I) from the near by tea shop. I wondered.i had many apprehensions. Who is this person. Why does anybody want to teach any thing for nothing in return?I am not from a financially sound family,so what was he expecting from me? Is the Table tennis any cover for any other activities. Is he a gay? Many unanswered questions.

While he was there in the room, we had no option but to practise. We were very much eager to have a match but he always insisted to practise till perfection( for months) before starting a game. Johnny was my practising partner. With the permission ( obtained with great difficulty) we could play. But then also Asan was too eager to know the scores even when I though I was a novice.
He was very fond of senior players.
There was one junior player with us who was given practise by Asan's student. He was a bit bitter towards him. But once he started playing well Asan started liking him. He kept all personal differences aside for the love of Game.
He used to talk a lot. His topic ranged fromTT, National players, playing styles, ball bats, rubber, girls, relationships... about everything under the sun.
Always he called us to his house.

......( To be continued)