There are four seasons in most parts of the world. Summer, winter, fall and spring. There are only two in India. Hoo-haa and Ho-hum. At least for the 60 and counting lot that we are, who play for KCC India.
Let’s talk about Ho-hum first. Premium time with the wife, kids and pets. Undivided devotion to work. Man strives. Man loves. This is the season of Gross Domestic Product and Gross Domestic Happiness rising. The sun shines cheerfully. The smell of rain brings joy. Life sucks. Time crawls. And then one day, the dreary dates on the calendar begin to wink and smile. Hoo-haa is coming.
The mercury drops ever so little. Cricket kits are dusted off. WhatsApp pings incessantly. The return of rock bottom humour, the captain’s sternness, and match announcements that outnumber Indian weddings. And above all, the KCCI gala to tell Ho-hum to piss off. The celebrations are Jagermeister good.
Highlights for the fact oriented: Nifty new gear, ramp walked, no wait – on bare body display by the sculpted and the I’m-planning-to-lose-weight-this-year KCCI members. The WAGs look a little embarrassed by the things they call partners. They hide their faces behind their champagne flutes. New awards are introduced, Ankush Bhan (inset) wins the KCC jacket of honour and cries. The music is a Bollywood mix, so are the drinks. A mother of hangover declares Hoo-haa season open.
The 1983 Indian team that won the World Cup has a WhatsApp group now. But we are KCC India. So we have a dozen WhatsApp groups. One for each tour that we have planned out. Crisp tea garden weather cricket in Munnar, ocean breeze outswing weather in Galle, the ‘what am I doing inside a microwave’ weather in Goa. And then there’s the England tour to come in 2019 (with a weather they can’t describe themselves) with our parent club (called so, because they play like our parents). For this tour, flights and stays have been booked. 6 months in advance. You can tell the enthusiasm is a little low.
Anything else? Yeah. Last year’s Hoo-haa season ended with Croatia. Yes, Croatia plays cricket. Strange. So does England. Well, KCC became finalists there. Losing to some Aussie blokes who all had the same name. Mate. The fun and fame of KCC India grows in the cricketing circles of Mumbai. The wins will follow one day. Keep the faith and keep the bowling on the stumps, boys. And one girl. Who by the way is our second youngest member this year. After a shy but steady 12 year old Arjun.
Like our cheerleaders remind us. 2-4-6-8. Who do we appreciate.
Good times. Great friends. KCC.