A Dream Come True

I still remember those days, late in the night holding my father’s hand, walking a fare distance to any of his friend’s house to watch the world cup football matches. Yes, at those days many didn’t had a T V. I was not more than 10 and didn’t know any big thing about the game, but to cheer when my boys rattle the nets. I used to enjoy the penalties more, guess that was much simple for my little brain to digest. Later my father got me a season ticket to a local club tournament, a month long tournament and I sat beside him and cheered for the team he was supporting. That was my first experience of a live football match. I don’t remember much about the matches, but my father always felt guilty about taking me to those matches. He recons I was a much better student before those tournaments, he believes it diverted my interest towards sports. And I remember, he used to mention this throughout, till the end of my studies, with his trademark emotional dialog “I spoiled you”. I always believed that was just an emotional blackmail to get my attention back to studies… come on I was never a good student :).

Any way I have no regrets… days passed by; we had our own TV sets and satellite channels, which gave access to International football. Those international players, whom we got to see once in 4 years, start appearing every year in different leagues and tournaments. The flavor of EPL, Spanish league and champions league added variety to each and every followers of football in India. And all those days whenever I used to see the lights of David Becham or Roberto Carlos playing, I used to dream of a day I see them playing live.

Two months back, I informed my father, about my official trip to Manchester. And when I called him the day after, he mentioned a dream he had, in which I was wearing those winter outfits and watching an English Premier League match. “Try to see one if possible” he reminded me moments before boarding the flight. But all those went to drain when I checked out the EPL ticket rates and when I enquired about the difficulties in getting one.

But the football god came in the name of Edmund Wall, a colleague of mine, and a die-hard Manchester united fan, offered two EPL tickets for the Manchester United vs Tottenham match in the Old Trafford. The tickets were still expensive but the Master Card ‘priceless’ add, helped my friend Esh, and me make a decision. They were much more than 2 tickets for us. Thanks a ton Ed.

Wow! Me standing with another 75,000 people in the massive Man U Home of Dreams, watching Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Ronnie, Carlos Taves, Ferdinand, Lennon, Robbie Keen and many many more playing right in front of my eyes. Even the die-hard Liverpool and Steven Gerrad fan inside me couldn’t stop me cheering for Man U. Its beyond my skills to write down here what I felt at that moment. Even the great Shakesphere would have found it tough with his thee and thae.

Bloody Hell that’s what you call a dream come true… the only thing missing was my father cheering next to me, boy I would have loved his presence…