Like most of the middle class Indian families having salaried parents in the early 90’s Bata was the official footwear of our family. Right from my parents, uncles, aunts and ofcourse me and my sister everybody was a proud owner of a Bata footwear be it sandals, slippers, school (read formal :P) shoes and also sports (read casual) shoes.
Getting a new pair of shoes was not an easy task. Feelings were not at all considered. It all depended not on the mental state (“want”) of the person who wanted new shoes but on the physical state of the item (read shoe). Also because my foot was still growing as I was only in Std VI the shoe which was purchased was already one size larger to accommodate any future increase in my shoe size. Even after 8 months my stubborn pair of Bata was in mint condition, so although I wanted one, I didn’t exactly need one. But Aditya (my childhood nemesis) had just got a new pair of shoes and he was showing it off in the colony much to my envy L. But how could I bargain with dad? I didn’t have a reason, the shoe though old was neither broken nor was it ill fitting me, plus I had too much of self-respect in me to cry and make a scene of it at home. Aditya would easily hear it all and make fun of it when I get my new shoes and brand me a cry-baby for good. I just had one respectable way to earn my new pair and I was going to get there without fail.
That night at dinner, I somehow had to broach the topic of the shoe.
At the dinner table, dad was busy listening to the evening news on radio. Though we had a TV, mother decreed that food was never to be served in front of the TV which was in the living room (that time it was known just as the HALL), and as dinner time clashed with the evening news, dad made up for it by getting the news on AIR. As I occupied my seat to the left of dad and in front of mom, my sister’s empty seat at the table caught my eye. I was relieved. Good that she is out for a CAMP with her classmates. She was sure to mess up the conversation.
After the newsreader read out the headlines, I started. Dad was more receptive after the headlines are done. Experience you see.
Me (to no one in particular) : I scored 10 runs today. Aditya ran me out with a direct hit. Rakesh was the umpire and I am sure he cheated. He always sides with Aditya.
No reply. This is bad. I have to sound a bit more interesting.
Me (to no one in particular) : I scored 10 runs today. Aditya ran me out with a direct hit. Rakesh was the umpire and I am sure he cheated. He always sides with Aditya.
(dumb me, I repeated myself with just a bit of increase in my volume)
Mom: Ohh that’s great. 10 runs is not bad. But run out. You should have ran faster, beta.
Yessss…mom you are the greatest. Right where I wanted to get the conversation. Run faster.
Me: You are right, I tried but the problem is that my shoes can take me only that fast you see. Aditya has these new Bata shoes, he got yesterday and they can take him faster than mine for sure. That’s how he got to the ball so quickly and ran me out na!!!!
Dad (with a look of feigned inquisitiveness): Ohh so it is the shoes which make you run faster and not your legs?
I knew it will be difficult. If Aditya had ran me out, Dad had sure bowled me and right now he was not even wearing any shoes.
Me: Ahh Mom, can you please pass me the chapattis.
Mom: Come on Advait, what is the problem with your shoes. They are good. I don’t even think they are torn. You just want new shoes for no reason.
Needless to say that the conversation ended there. In the next week, Aditya ran me out 5 more times :)
Barely 10 days since our last ‘shoe conversation’ Dad was walking me to the cricket ground in the evening. He was out for a walk as he was back from work early.
Dad: So Advait, how many times did you get run out after that. You never told us.
Me (with renewed vigor): 10 times. (I lied; I had got run out only 5 times)
Dad: That is too much. Your shoes are really slow. When did we buy them?
Me (now we are talking Dad. I love you): We bought them last Diwali. Its being 8 months I think.
Dad: 8 months.OK!! Did you try running harder with your shoes
Me (with a sad face): Yes dad, I tried but Aditya’s new shoes are faster.
Damn the ground had to come so fast and that Aditya why did he have to call me. The conversation ended again :(
That night at the dinner table.
Dad: So how did the game go?
Mom (even before I could reply): Don’t ask him about the game, he has not been studying regularly lately. For two days I am observing that he just goes out and plays once he is back from school and then returns home all tired and hardly even completes his homework.
Me: That is not true. You can check my books. I complete my homework.
Mom: I know how you do it, sitting in front of your class before the morning assembly copying it from your friend’ notebook. Ashu told me everything.
Ashu is my elder sister. I forgot to mention that the CAMP was of only one week and she was back occupying the dinner table seat in front of dad.
On hearing mom, she grinned from side to side and even winked an eye at my direction. I just made a sad face (what else could I do??)
Dad: Ohh that’s news. Btw has this Semesters prize been decided?
The Semester’s prize was one thing I always looked forward too. Every semester a prize was mutually decided upon by me and didi together with mom and dad and at the end of the semester depending on us fulfilling our part of the deal, the prize was given out. Our part was invariably related with performance in school. Sometimes it was the rank in the class, sometimes performance in a particular subject. Sometimes it was related to excelling in extra curricular activities. Thanks to this over the years I had acquired (or won) a brick game, a mitashi video game, a HERO RANGER, a waist pouch and I knew it when dad mentioned it at the dinner table that this time it was going to be the new Bata Shoes :)
Me: No, it has not been decided and I want new Bata shoes this time around.
I thought I just screamed and everybody looked at me with smiling faces.
Dad: Ok done, but only if you stand first in class. Do you agree?
Me: It’s a deal.
Standing first in the class was not difficult. I had already cut Sarang’s lead by 4 marks in the first exam. I could have surpassed him then but for that sum which I got wrong in the science paper. This time I was sure I could make up for the four marks and go ahead of Sarang.
I started studying in right earnest and even stopped going to my evening cricket games a week before we had decided to stop playing cricket because of the impending exams. Aditya had a great time when I was not around. He went around boasting that Advait doesn’t turn up to play because I run him out and he can’t run that fast in his shoes!!!! Plus Sarang never played cricket and always studied so if I had to beat him I had to do something drastic.
The exams went well and I was more than sure that this time Sarang was going to bite the dust and the new pair of Bata Shoes were mine for the taking.
1st May, I together with Dad entered my classroom. It was result day. I was not at all nervous and edgy like a few of my classmates whom I had seen in the corridor. Sarang was already there with both his parents. “He always likes to show off; what is the need to bring both your parents”, I thought. Now it was a different issue that my mother could never make it for my result as she herself was a teacher and had to go to her school to give out the results for her class J
My Dad and Sarang’s dad knew each other, so even when they started talking I and Sarang avoided each other.
My class teacher, Madam Thomas called me over and handed me the report card and congratulated me. Now it was sure, I had got the first rank, but then why was Sarang looking so happy and why was Dad looking at me when I was about to open my report card?
This is impossible, I was second. Sarang had again got the first rank. I could not believe it. I had scored a 648 out of 750. My percentage was better than my performance last time but Sarang had still out-performed me. With a shaky voice I asked Madam Thomas, “How much did the topper score?” I know it was Sarang but I did not want to take his name. “Oh you mean Sarang, he too got 648.” I was stumped. “Even I got 648, Madam then how am I ranked second?” I said demanding an explanation.
“Listen Advait, both of you finished on the same score but because Sarang scored more in the last exam and this result is after two exams, he was ranked first” explained Madam Thomas. “This is unfair” I muttered under my breath and stormed outside the class only to wait in the corridor with tears running down my cheeks. In a short while Dad came out and took my report card and looked through it.
He congratulated me, and hugged me. With this I started crying more. I could feel that Dad’s shoulder was getting wet with my tears. He looked at me wiped my tears and handed me a FIVE STAR. This was the ritual for every result day. But today I was crying because for the first time I had not fulfilled my end of the deal. “I don’t want the shoes, Baba” I announced in a tone which was bordering on sobbing. “We will see about that. Let’s get home” said Dad
By the time I reached home, my crying had stopped but my eyes were still red. Didi was already home and happy. I could see that she had fulfilled her part of the deal. She did not want dad to accompany her to her class to get the result after all she was in Std IX and could take care of herself and her emotionsJ. I flopped on the sofa not in the mood to talk to anybody. In a short while Mom got home and even she was happy with my performance.
I was not first and that was the plain truth. I didn’t deserve the shoes!!!! I didn’t go to play cricket that evening. When my friends came to call me I told them that I was not feeling well. My dad was watching all this. After my friends left he came to me and asked, “Advait so you are not going to try your new shoes!!!??”
“NEW SHOES!!! Baba how is it possible, I did not stand first!!!!” said I sinking low in the sofa.
“But you did stand first Advait, remember the deal was only for this exam and in this exam you scored 4 marks more than Sarang and you did finish first. Congratulations here are your new pair of Bata shoes like you wanted. Now wear them and tell me if they fit you or not!!!!!” said Dad.
I couldn’t believe what Dad had said. He was right I actually had stood first. This prize was only for this exam and not for the combined exam. I had beaten Sarang to it. I raced to the shoe rack and there was the box of shoes waiting to be opened by me. I pulled out the shoes and stood gaping at them. “They are too good” I shouted. “Thanks a lot Baba!!!”
I quickly wore my socks and put on my new shoes and ran off towards the ground. That evening everybody was impressed with my shoes. Aditya was quieter than usual. I scored 15 runs and remained not out. Aditya tried twice but he could not run me out.
Who says it is your legs that make you run faster!!!!???
He came, He Saw and He Conquered!!! is what is said about Alexander the Great.
