It was a clean up day at my place today. Everything went upside down and inside out. Cleaning the store room was my responsibility. The store room was my favorite place when I was a kid. Thought it had been a couple of years since I had not been there. Not even to look for something. It seems like this portion of our house was just absent for me. Being hell of an observer, I was amazed to see a few 50 paise coins beneath the trunks. I wonder who put it there. Was it 8 year old me who accidently slipped them under while playing with them ? Or did I put them there then to smile 10 years later when I find them ? This was giving me a blur imagery of the days of my childhood. I am 18 now.The imagery was gradually drifting me into memories. Memories of an 8 year old kid. Who was bubbly. round, plump and talkative. Unlike the 18 year old me.
Moving around the trunks and after making room, I pulled an almirah from the wall. Something went down with a thud and made me check the almirah for damages. It was a dusty brown color ball. All in dust and toughened like the almirah wood. I picked up the ball and spun it hard with my right hand like I always use to. The view of catching it after its flight suddenly fitted in an another frame in mind. It was the 8 year old me spinning the ball with his right hand and collecting it in his left. The *Thought* *Detonated* at this moment.
It was my red cosco ball. It was worth 25 bucks and I had bought it from the Friend's Corner in the next street nearly 10 years ago. The blur image was vivid now. That day I had managed 10 bucks from my mother, and 15 from my savings, to buy a red cosco ball. It was a secret buy as I was allowed to play only with the softer wind balls. Seems like the kid had started his attempts to show the world that he was tough. He could play with the red cosco ball while you thought he deserved softer one.
It was my first day with my first red cosco ball ever. Accompanied with Rahul, Manish and Ashish I started our "World Cup" like everyday. But that day it was with a red cosco ball. Happiness, Devine Joy & Nirvana. The winner was to get an eclairs(of 50 paise - exactly the same amount I found beneath those trunks). Manish was on the bat while I took to bowl. It was my first throw, with my first ever red coso ball, and Manish smashed it hard. Ofcourse it was a by-luck shot. No one can hit me that hard. I am the best, The best 8 year old bowler. The ball flew straigt into my store room on the second floor after bombarding the glass window. All of us ran to our respective houses scared of our respective mothers and the next moment I was in the store room. I looked for my red cosco ball for hours and later declared it lost. It was sorrow, Hellish gloom and weezyness. I flung a few 50 paise coins in disgust and left the store room. There was no red colour cosco ball, no match, no winner & no echlairs.
I have found the red cosco ball now, after 10 years. I know why the 50 paise coins were beneath the trunks. Still there is no joy, no devine happiness, no nirvana. Just the 18 year old me standing still while holding the ball.
There is no Red Cosco Ball now and No Childhood. Its all a dusty store all around with wooden furniture - stiff and inanimate.
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