Our memories inter-weave and inter link in ways we do not comprehend. A single drop of rain may lead to the memory of a monsoon many seasons ago, which in turn may lead to memories of the friends who were there that rainy day. Pretty soon you’re off on a journey to see the past play hide and seek with the present. And before you know it what started with a drop has become a deluge. When it rains nostalgia it always pours.
There are some moments in life that you wish you could revisit at least once. I’m not talking about the pivotal moments in your life, nothing as life-changing as holding your child for the first time or as dramatic as your first kiss. I’m talking of those seemingly insignificant moments which get entrenched in your psyche, moments which for no easily comprehensible reason might flash before you as you die (not that I have any experience in that field). You wish you were there again to see if it really was as the playback reel in your head tries to convince you. Back in 2002 I had such a day; it was nothing dramatic or life-changing... But that day and the memory of it is a bit of who I am.
We were young, restless and reckless to a fault. In an almost all boy class all we cared about was to live like there was no tomorrow and play like there were no exams. For me and my friends it was football that was all the rage... Now we weren’t particularly gifted players or even close. But that didn’t matter to us. We didn’t play for money or recognition, Hell, sometimes we didn’t even play to win :-) we played for the absolute joy of playing, the joy of being able to run with the wind in your hair, the ball at your feet, your friends screaming your name. We played because the thought of not playing, never crossed our minds.
Now on that particular day it was after special class and it was raining pretty hard. But we were young and carefree and never thought about stuff like pneumonia. Besides I suddenly remembered seeing on the Discovery channel tat staying out while it rains doesn’t lead to fever. It didn’t take much to convince the guys and we were away... I remember only about 4-5 of us who were there that day, I wish I could remember them all. We ran, we fell, we screamed drenched to our bones in the rain, laughing all the while. The rain was relentless. Soon we could barely see each other yet we played on.. The final score was 8-5 or something that day and I scored a few times too but it doesn’t really count as the goalkeeper was trying to wipe the water out of his glasses(why he was doing that while it was still pouring buckets on his head still bewilders me) we played till we couldn’t anymore.. Till our shoes were filled with water and it felt like we were running inside buckets. I remember riding back home in RV's car... I also remember that curious incident with the gearbox and his driver which doesn’t need to be elaborated here.
There were no winners or losers that day. Just a bunch of crazy kids who were having the time of their life :-) they thought the world was a pretty neat place... Their biggest worries were flunking exams and losing the football in the woods near the school ground. They were full of life, ready to take on whatever whimsical fate had to offer. I like to think those crazy kids are still here... Still ready... And on some rainy days that crazy kid in me tells me to chuck the coffee mug out the window and to get drenched again. One of these days I just might!
