Feline Musings

By the IPL. No, not me … its hubby and most of the other men I get to meet.

Colleagues are bypassing proxies and logging on to cricket sites, discussing the scores, gaping at (female) stars in sporty clothes, and forwarding their pictures with funny subject lines, like “IPL ka tadka” (the spice of IPL). Most men are discussing cricket matches and schedules and of course all the gossip and the “tamasha” that’s garnishing the matches. Even before the matches started, there was a lot of moralistic hullabaloo about the commercialization of cricket and the auction of players. IPL has been on-air and in the air for quite some time now.

The IPL bug has bit hubby, too! Our post-office relaxation and chit-chat has gone for a toss. Hubby is glued to the TV and when I complain he cribs that he hasn’t seen even one match from first ball to the last! Well, I am not to be blamed for that – he comes late from office and misses the first few balls (as if there are many balls to play in these 20-20 matches!)

My general knowledge has also gone to the dogs. We were not aware of the Gujjar riots, even though hubby had to travel to Rajasthan over the weekend, just because sports channels have priority over the news channels. We were informed by other family members that the trains to and through Rajasthan were cancelled. Hubby stayed back at home to watch more IPL. Urghh!

Hubby loves his daily dose of IPL. He will doze off while watching a movie, but he remains wide awake through the matches. He has been banned from entering the kitchen, because my expensive crockery is at great risk. A sudden “boundary” or “catch out” high-pitched commentary has him dashing out of the kitchen, with a tea-cup in his hand, which he is wiping dry. He reaches the living room, the catch drops, and so does my precious tea-cup.

If the IPL does not leave me at peace at work and at home, it also follows me to the beauty salon. I nearly had an anxiety attack when my male hairdresser was actually watching “run-out” while snipping away at my very precious fewer of the few hair. Even hospitals are not IPL-resistant. I changed my doctor when instead of being as worried as I was about my backache, he questioned hubby about the evening match schedule and absent-mindedly prescribing energy boosters instead of pain killers.

When I make a sour face at hubby sprawled in front of the TV, he innocently tells me the IPL matches are in their final stages! I also eagerly await the IPL finals just like so many men (and women).

Share and Show: