Cheating
That day was the day of Baruah sir’s Farewell. The Golf Hut of Oil India Limited had been decorated beautifully with the purpose of having a meal together in the evening and for having some fun. Pandal’s responsibility was solely on brother Borgohain. At present, in the Frontier areas, the responsibility of finding black gold also lies on him. We are his untired soldiers. He is one of my closest brothers in the project “The Frontier Basin Project” of Oil India Limited.
In the morning of that day, brother Borgohain met me and Sharma da and we went to take a visit to the Pandal where the Farewell was planned to be organised. It feels good when we three are together.
We all three made it to the Golf Hut area. I’ve been to that place before, but didn’t know it was called “the Golf Hut”. The arrangement is good. It has happened as it was thought. Gotta do better. My words will be less to praise the person for whom we are about to hold a farewell meeting today evening. His name is his identity. So, even though the guru responsibility of the Pandel is on brother Borgohain’s shoulders, we are also giving equal importance.
The Golf playground lies next to the Golf Hut. Very beautiful scene. Sharma da also said that there is no tension tonight. I quipped back: “What is the tension?”
Sharma da: No means you don’t have to watch our kids. There is no tension of falling. Can be played all over the golf field. Even if they fall, they will fall on the grass. So, no tension.
But, my mind just flew south a bit. My childhood school is on the other side of the golf field. So many memories. So many stories. Our Oil India Higher Secondary School. Almost twenty-one or two springs have passed away. Today again I am remembering that Kakati Sir’s thoughtful and heavy words and sentences. That lovely beating of Acharya sir. My friends. Elder & older brothers and sisters. And lot more. As if in a blink of a moment I will pass all that time again.
The boundary of the golf field and the boundary of our school are the same. So, often we can find a golf ball if you search well in the school’s fencing root. When the players play golf, the ball comes by mistake and may not be found because there was a little jungle in that place at that time. And, because they lost the ball, they proceed with the game with other balls (maybe). When we were studying in the school, at the times of half-break, we dive into the areas near the fencing and start looking for golf balls in the woods. If I get one somehow, I will get twenty to thirty rupees. No tension for this week. Teachers, sometimes, ask that what we often do in that place at the times of half-break? We just reply strongly that there is a little bit of jungle so we are trashing it. It might die. This work was not so dangerous and so, may be, Teachers did not say anything. At least this time, everyone is inside the school. This work is nothing compared to the previous records. By taking advantage of torn fencing at few places, we can also go inside a little bit. But, ultimately, the aim is to find a ball.
Will get twenty to thirty rupees if I get one. Not always looking for the ball though. Even, they don’t play every day. Full loss in rainy seasons. Almost no income. “Saheb” did not come themselves to buy balls from us. They send a boy to us to buy second hand Golf ball. The boy is called “Caddie”. That too I came to know only a few days ago. It may be a mistake. Forgive by your own qualities if not. And we called the golfers as “Saheb” at that time. Caddies pay us twenty to thirty rupees per ball and take golf balls from us. Fifty rupees in two balls. The price of two balls is fixed. They didn’t bargain too much. And the rate was also fixed due to the frequent exchange of balls.
Sometimes Saheb comes himself. Don’t know why. The Caddies may have some bad health. When Saheb comes, we say forty rupees per ball. Let’s take a risk. Even the Saheb often give forty rupees. So, we prefer Saheb to come himself rather than to send Caddies and go along to tell our friends that
′′Today I have cheated them. Saheb himself came to take the ball. I said forty rupees and he gave it. ′′
Didn’t waste time anymore, we ran directly and instantly to fast food in front of the small shops near the police station.
′′Hay. What are you thinking? Do you want to try?” I come back to present when brother Borgohain has raised his voice.
I said what they are talking about?
Borgohain da: About Golf.
Me: where’s the stick? Where is the ball?
Brother Borgohain: It is not called a stick. It is called a golf stick. Hohhhh.... Take this key and I have the bag of golf sticks in my car boot. Go and Take it.
I took the key and brought the bag of golf sticks. Ten to twelve sticks were there, I mean Golf stick. He said that Every single is different. But, I have felt it all the same. Just shaking my head because he said it. The topic went beyond the reach of my antenna. Even then, I kept giving a little extra deep.
Seeing us, Sharma da came and said: I will also try to hit a ball.
It will happen then. Senior first. I gave Sharma da first, the golf stick and a ball.
Brother Sharma: Please take out the camera. Just take a photo.
Let the ball go or not, the photo is crucial. For the first time there was no clash between golf stick and golf ball. But, the photo came out very well. Felt good for the second time. The ball has gone too far.
Me: Hitting well dada. This time I will try, please give the stick to me.
Brother Sharma: Take it and try.
Me: Wait. I’m about to bring the ball that you hit.
Brother Borgohain: Don’t need to bring that ball. More balls are in my bag. Take them and bring here. After hitting, Gonna bring all at once. How many times will you bring and hit?
I got close to the bag of golf sticks where I got 3 more Golf balls in it. Brought all of them. Sharma da liked it very much. Gave one ball to him.
This time I went forward to try. The condition was the same. For the first time there was no clash between golf stick and golf ball. Felt good for the second time. The ball has gone too far. Brother Sharma took golf stick and golf ball from me as the next was his turn.
A question just popped up in my mind. And I have asked Borgohain da.
′′Okay brother, tell me one thing, how many of you play golf together?”
Brother Borgohain: Sometimes 10 people. 12 sometimes. Depends on it. Who stays free.
Me: O. Tell me one more thing. You all keep on hitting your own Golf balls. How do you recognize which one’s ball? If twelve golfers are playing together, the minimum twelve balls will be there. How do you recognize the balls?
Brother Borgohain: We all know our own strength. We are not the only ones. Every real golfer recognizes this. Because competition is not with others in this game. Competition is only with myself. And everyone’s ball company is also different. If somehow the same company balls exist, then we give a small mark. Others can’t catch up quickly.
Hearing the answer, my heart was chirping. Swallowed a hip and asked again.
′′For how long has this mark given system been running? And if I mix these balls with many balls you will recognize??”
Brother Borgohain: Why won’t we recognize them? Will get it. And not just me but everyone will recognize his own golf ball. It’s been ten years since I played golf. I have been seeing the Marking system since then. Maybe it was there before that too. Earlier few people used to play. Maybe there was no need to give marks also. It seems easy to recognize own Golf ball due to less number at that time.
Coughing for some time after listening to the answers. My mind is blown away back to the school days.
Every golfer knows his own Golf ball. Once upon a time we sold a lot of balls. I must have sold a minimum of 25 by myself. None of the “Saheb”s said that this ball is known to me. If they knew the own ball, then why did they buy it from us without any reason?? That too sometimes by giving 10 rupees more!!!!!!
Today it can be felt that, actually, that was their love for us. They must have been very happy to see the smile that appeared on our faces when we got the hope of a fast food after selling the Golf Balls to them. Just realized today that they didn’t get cheated. Rather, time has explained that cheating someone doesn’t mean that the cheater didn’t felt anything.
Actually, the one who is cheated understands, at least partially. Only, by being a slave of certain circumstances, emotions and feelings, one makes himself indifferent.
