ICT ONE-SHOTS (FRIENDSHIP)

Jaddu's first Jamnagar story (Rohit-Jaddu)

At 19, Rohit was one of the older members of the U-19 2006 team, and at 17 and a half, Jaddu was the youngest, yet the two of them had somehow been friends right from the beginning of the camp. An almost unlikely friendship, considering how one of them would prefer to sleep all his free time while the other had one of those never-idle brains.

Looking back today, Rohit did realize that compared to what had happened in the period from 2014-19, the U-19 2006 final loss dismally lost in the 'heartbreak-quotient.'

When it had happened however, he had had no idea about what the future held, and it had been absolutely devastating.

The team had returned to the hotel in silence, and went to bed in silence; all of them thought they would never have another opportunity like this, of making their country win against Pakistan in a final—and most of them were right, because how many of them would go on to represent the senior team in the future?

Only a handful.

Jaddu followed Rohit into his room, because he did not relish the thought of being alone with the nightmarish memory, and Rohit did not object. Nor did he particularly encourage him, mostly because he was too numb to care.

"Don't you think, Rohit, that we're blowing this thing out of proportion?" asked Jaddu.

"Which thing exactly?" asked Rohit.

"We're acting like someone died," said Jaddu. "Painfully. Whereas we just lost a match."

"We did not just lose a match," said Rohit, glaring at him. "We lost a final to Pakistan."

"Ah, that's nothing compared to what happened with Korali dadu back in my hometown Jamnagar!"

Rohit stared at him and asked unwittingly, "Why, what happened to him?"

"His son was suffering from some unknown disease few years back," began Jaddu, stretching on the bed comfortably. "And none of the doctors around the region could get his temperature down below 105. So he went to the local temple on horseback to pray and ask for advice."

"On horseback?" said Rohit doubtfully.

"Yeah, maybe that's considered a good luck charm or something. I dunno," said Jaddu.

"Um, ok...continue," said Rohit, growing curious about Korali dadu's fate.

"Well, then, God came down from the pedestal and spoke to him..."

"You're making this up!" said Rohit, frowning.

Jaddu looked at him with such an incredulous expression that Rohit felt compelled to defend himself, "How can God come down and talk to a person?"

"I'm simply telling you the facts," said Jaddu solemnly. "So, God came down and told him to tie his son to the horse and throw them both into the river."

"What?" cried Rohit indignantly. "Why would he say something like that?"

"Yes, I know," said Jaddu gravely. "Korali dadu led his horse home and did just that..."

"You're making it up, Jaddu," said Rohit. But Jaddu looked and sounded so solemn that Rohit could not help second guessing the obvious—that he must be making this up. "Aren't you?" he added uncertainly.