Another Brick In The Wall: a story

John pulls down his muddy, knee torn tracksuit in a hurry. ‘What a day it was’, Michel almost broke his back by jumping in jubilation over winning the first final in their club history.

After holding the shorts in his hands he realizes its pathetic condition. Much to blame his goal saving dive to stop the corner hit by Paul, the strongest legs in the tournament. Putting his hands across his head he finds it soaked with sweat. Bringing his fingers before his eyes, he gasped to find few specks of dirt and grass. He almost jumped in excitement, as these were the remnants of the golden header hit by him that conceded the only goal in the unforgettable final.

He gets a stupid grin, a feeling of happiness and proudness. After the match the coach congratulated him for his stupendous performance. This is the first time in the team's history that their coach has so candidly appreciated his players.

Throwing his trousers in triumph he opened his most precious book, The King of Soccer, a biography of Pele, the mentor of his life. Laying those pieces of grass in the book, he closes his wardrobe.

Days passed, months passed, years passed, now John is a successful businessman, he has extended his dad’s business to new heights of competence. During this time every thing in his life has changed, right from his wardrobe to his social circles. Incidentally while taking out his suit from the shelf, his book, Pele drops out. Remembering those sweet memories associated with football, he opens his book and picks those grasses. He still vividly remembers those beautiful days, especially that final match; the sole win of their club in its existence. After their first mesmerizing performance, the best and experienced players started moving out, either to better clubs or other professions and his club was left with amateurs. The club’s performance deteriorated dramatically. John's allowance was bleakly reduced, much to blame the bad monetary conditions of the club. On his father's persistence he left his club and joined his family business. He still remembers the day he officially left, how much he cried and fought with his family. His coach almost pleaded him not to leave. Those were difficult moments in his life but all his vendetta and grudge on the decision to not carry on as a footballer has buried with his childhood aspirations and memories. At that very moment his mobile rings, realizing it as an important call from his client he picks necessary stuff and runs for his office. Unconsciously the book falls from his hand and drops below the wardrobe.

Since then uncountable number of years has passed. Meanwhile his business has collapsed drastically, company shares were sold cheaply. Ultimately he had to sell his company to a better management. He had lost all his endurance and his social circle had dwindled. Traumatized by this sudden calamity, he had lost all his patience and hope. In fact he had even attempted suicide once. His big palace is reduced to a two-room quarter. Months after this mishap he is a bit more settled but has confided himself to his own world of remonstration and dejection, hardly stepping out of his flat or meeting someone.

One afternoon while opening his old wardrobe his spectacles drops down, bending down to pick it he finds a book there. Picking it and rubbing off hard coated dust, he was almost shocked to find it was his childhood dreams, The King of Soccer. Though all his feelings had died months ago, a tear flows down his left eye, down his wrinkled face onto the book and he presses his book to his heart.