Extension

The countdown has begun. The change seems more real now. After a while, one overcomes the illusion of how good or how bad changes like these are. To try and intellectualize it too much is an indication of denial. The idea is to let it happen, and as most changes are, it is bound to be a mixed bag. And subjective as our perceptions of life are, it is hard to predict whether our reaction to the good will overshadow the not-so-good or vice-versa. But, naturally there is a sense of apprehension, which is like a constant tingling in the head, like a new process running continuously, leaving a bit less memory for the others to use. The idea is to try and transcend this.

Which is where cycling, reading and even table-tennis comes in. Today's game grew into a kind of frenzy at the end. My friend, T was at his best, diving around defending everything in sight. My game has evolved into an uncompromisingly attacking style, which though fun, is rather foolish at times. It leaves me with a very small margin for error and is precisely why our games are complementary; it also adds a bit more to the sense of competition. And after having played for a while and despite the blood clot beneath my nail, I felt nothing; it was like moving beyond fatigue, pain or even thought. It is the spontaneity of the reactions, as a result of knowledge accumulated subconsciously that make these moments special. Needless to day, I lost more than I won, but our tryst tonight was much more than that. After a point, it became so engaging, it drew all the others around - most of them paused their games for a while just to watch.