A 'Good Morning Sir' ! warmly greets our ears when we enter our tennis court in the morning. They are our ball boys, a group of three brothers who save our backs by always throwing the balls to us while playing tennis.They do it in their inimitable style in weird arcs, loops and angles but save our trouble and time-They are our ball saviours! with colorful attire,white socks under over sized shoes.Their white teeth contrast the dark tanned sun burnt faces.Their plugged ear phones emit loud Hindi music.They come from broken families with step parents and a bad past of abused childhood.They themselves have lost count of their step brothers and sisters. Believe me, they do not know their caste or creed!
They are secular, going to temples,dargahs and sometimes wearing a visible cross on their deflated chests.Religion does not concern them.Daily Bread is their sole primary objective!.
They have only a pair of dresses, but are hygienic and clean -- from the daily washings in the afternoon, before resting a while to catch their breath. The evening batch of players leave at around seven pm and these ball boys rush to their home in Azad Maidan-CST by ticket less train travel . A small shanty! at the mercy of the corrupt municipal corporation, which is their only humble abode. After a quick meal,they rush to Metro cinema to assist car parking and earn handsome tips from the car owners,they pray for a big banner release with house full shows to boost their earnings and earn a well deserved can of beer which is sipped like sweet nectar from heaven! They frequently get free movie passes to be enjoyed whistling and cheering on the first rows of the cinema. After the late night show, they return home to sleep under the vast canopy of dark hazy Mumbai sky with the stars as their companions and an occasional full moon to add to the color. A sound sleep indeed! to sooth their tired bodies.One night turned out to be the most terrifying one when our city was under terrorist attack,they hardly slept fearing for their lives but survived by hiding behind the trees near their house.They got over it and the next night, were deeply asleep in their dream world.
They are very bold and fear nothing except poverty.
Early morning hustle-bustle wakes them up rapidly to endure another day of tiring work. They bathe in the public bathrooms and again travel ticket less to reach our tennis court. Not a single ticket checker even bothers to ask them, as their faces look so poor and frail that hoping them to have tickets would be a wasted thought, they only check tickets when they know that the guilty offender will be able to afford a small bribe and my ball boys don't fit their criteria!
They aim to become markers one day to earn more money and respect from the players and coaches. A marker can coach beginners and play with the veteran players with dignity.Their attire also changes to all time classic traditional white. They are trying hard to learn the game, practising against the walls venting their angst and fury on the poor hapless ball !
I wish the best for them and posssibly help them all the time, I understand their pain.
After all, they are my Amar- Akbar- Anthony ball boys!
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