The memories remain

Was taking a round of New Town when I was passing 'our' old cricket ground next to D5-25 (Abhishek's former house). There it was plain, green & unoccupied. Something made me stop the bike & take a long wistful look at it.

The bare patches where we had the batter's & bowler's wickets were long gone, apparently, there aren't enough school going kids in the colony any more (the company's closure has taken it's toll). And to think of the time when our gang used to have running battles with Bunty's gang & the C-Type gangs for control of the pitch! It was almost as if the empty ground was signifying the hopelessness prevalent in the colony.

Thoughts of the good old days came flooding back, thick & fast. Swapnil, Abhishek, Abhijit, Bittu, Nittu, Jolly, Krishna, Bunty (Sandhu) & Bunty (Singh), Bablu, Alok, Jeetu, Deepu, Harpreet, Amlaan, Anand.........all the guys who had ever been part of the myriad sporting contests that took place there.......cricket, football, hockey, hide n seek, maara-piti, pyramids, commandos........God knows what else!

For a moment it seemed they would all come right out from behind the bushes & the walls & start the games all over again.......but then a passing biker honked & reality kicked in.

Memories, memories.........they are the only things that remain. Thank you God for letting me experience those wonderful days of adolescence. And thanks even more for the memories.......they'll remain with me......for life.