Naa peru Sanjay. Maa college cricket team ki nene captain. College cricket records lo fastest century naade, fastest delivery kooda naade. Naku cricket ante pichi, praanam. Nenu batting chesetappudu bowler face lo, bowling chesetappudu wicket keeper face lo bhayam chudatam naku chaala ishtam. Veetannitini minchi, match madhyalo jarige godavalu, match aipoyaaka canteen lo vesey sitting lu naa hobbies. Cricket ey tinta, taagutha, peelustha ani maa amma, naanna naa meeda “baaga prema” vachinapdu antuntaaru. Cricket naaku innaallu oka blood friend laaga, oka soulmate laaga, naa life lo eppatikapdu picha picha ga kick ichindi. Alaanti cricket ni kooda poorthiga marchipoyelaaga chesindi Niha tho parichayam. Bat, ball anevaati place lo Facebook, Whatsapp naa life lo enter ayyayi. “Nuvve cricket ni marchipoyaav ante, she is your special someone ra” ani friends anevaaru.
Nijame, eppudu bat, ball, godava, cool water tho nindipoye naa saayanthraalu ippudu love, date, chat and calls tho romantic gaa special gaa maarayi. Eppudu cricket commentary vinapade naa room windows lonchi love tracks vinapadutunte, maa friends ki kooda special gaane undedi. Oka ammayi love lo padithe tana life maatrame maarutundemo. Kaani oka abbayi love lo padithe, vaaditho unde ara dozen mandi friends life, time table kooda doubt lekunda maaripotundi. Abbayillo friendship ki, ammaaillo friendship ki unde chaala thedaallo adokati. Nenu, Niha pichi pattinattu preminchukunnaam. Tana andam enthaa ante, tana amaayakathvam antha. Tana amaayakathvam, naa prema antha. Naa prema, naa samskaaram antha. Tana prema, maa amma antha. Naa life naaku chaala special ga anipistunnaa, devudiki baaga routine ga anipinchindo emo, okka message tho naa life ni left, right, U-turn remix chesi tippaadu. Naaku poddunne whatsapp lo Niha nunchi vachina message “Good Morning” ani kaadu. “Sanjay, Maa intlo mana prema ni oppukoledu. Nenu maa parents ni edurinchalenu. I am sorry for everything. Nannu marchipo”, ani. Reply anedi eduru chuse vaalla kosam istaaru. Naku reply ivvaalsina avasaram kanipinchaledu. Mundu roju raatri nenu pampina “I Love You” anedey naa last message. Poddunne tanu pampina message kinda unde rendu blue ticks ey naa last reply.
Modatlo naaku kopam, baadha, virakthi ilaanti extreme emotions em kalugaledu. Sudden ga naa rojanthaa khaali ga aipoindi, anthey. Facebook login ayina, whatsapp open chesina, cheyadaaniki em ledu. Aakali meeda dhyaasa ledu, andam meeda dhrushti ledu. Naa friends andaru nannu chaala saarlu cricket aadadaaniki pilicharu. Cricket aadithe Niha ni marchipotha anukunnaru anukunta. Kaani ippudu naaku cricket meeda pichi chachipoyindi. Nenu malli antha sincere ga denni preminchalenu. Naa life oka thella kaagitham laaga, appude khaali chesina illu laaga, silent ga aipoindi. Friends bhojanaaniki velthu eppudu vaallathone nannu kooda teeskuni vellevaallu. Naku emi maatladaali anipinchedi kaadu. Appudappdu madhyalo lechi vachesevaadini. Cinema ki veldaamani vaallu nannu eppudu adagaledu. Ardam chesukunnaru anukunta. Evaridaina birthday party unte nannu rammani force chesi teeskuni vellevaaru. Ala oka roju party lo andaru round ga sitting vesi mandu kodutunnaaru. Naaku alavaatu ledu. Niha ni marchipovadaaniki nannu kooda mandu kottamannaaru. Naaku kaalindi. Serious gaa vaalla vaipu chusaanu. “Nenu mandu kodatha. Kaani evarino marchipovadaaniko, baadha taggadaaniko kaadu. Aanandam ga kodatha. Naaku kottalanipisthe kodatha. Ippudu naku kottaalani ledu”, ani cheppaanu. Friends naa vaipu shock tho chustunnaaru. Ade naaku chaala rojula taruvata kaligina first emotion, Ego. Niha ni marchipovadam kosam nannu mandu kottamanagane naa ego hurt ayyindi. “Ye? Nannu marchipovadaniki Niha mandu kottinda? Okka message kottindi. Anthey”, ani cheppi akkadi nunchi vachesaanu. Bahusa Niha vellipoyaaka nenu antha ekkuva sepu maatladinadi appude anukunta.
Ala oka nela gadichindi. Janaalatho maatladadam chaala varaku avoid chesevaadini. Most of the day cricket videos ey chustu gadipevaadini. Aa roju Pavan birthday. Pavan okappudu maa team vice captain, ippudu captain. Tournament final match chudadaaniki rammani force chesaadu. Naaku velle aalochana assalu ledu. Kaani birthday ani, baadha padataadani late ayina sare, chivariki vellaanu. Ground nunchi pedda horu vinipistunte, naaku paatha rojulu gurtukuvachayi. Maa friends andaru oka line lo kurchuni match chustunnaaru. Pavan batting appude start ayyindi. Nannu chusi naaku place ivvadaaniki friends andaru pakkaki jarugutunte, aa pakkana unna naluguru ammailu maa vaipu tirigaaru. Rendava ammai Niha, friend tho maataduthu nannu chusindi. Kumkuma, loose hair, kaalu meeda kaalu, ear rings, dress. Baane undi. Chaala rojula taruvata naku kaligina rendava emotion, Kopam. Naaku akkada undabuddhi kaaledu. Akkada nunchi vellipodaam ani venakki tiragagaane, crowd anthaa “Hooo!!” ani low voice lo arichindi. Ground vaipu chudagaane, fielders parugu peduthu pitch vaipu veltunnaaru. Pavan retired hurt. Ground nunchi teeskuni vellipoyaaru. Run rate chaala takkuva undi. Maa friends andaru naa vaipu chusaaru.
Ippudu aadaala? vaddaa? ani aalochinchaanu. Next batting nenu chestaanu ani crowd lo pukaaru paakindoo emo, andaru naa vaipu chustunnaaru. Niha tho saha. Tanu maa break up nunchi kolukundi. Neninkaa alaane unnaanu. Naku aadaali anipinchindi. Gloves, Pads ivevi akkarledani cheppi, crease daggaraki vellaanu. Spin bowler. Naa venuka iddaru slips. Naaku inkaa mind lonchi Niha image povatledu. Bat aina virigipovaali, Ball aina boundary daataali anipinchindi. Bowler ready ga unnaadu. Naa gunde gattiga kottukuntunnattu naa bhujaala varaku telustondi. Naa kallu bowler fingers meedane unnai. Ball leg spin tirigindi. Connect cheyadaaniki try chesaanu, tip ayyi slip catch pattaadu. Out aipoyaanu. Bowling team anthaa celebrate chesukuntondi, bowler naa vaipu chusi navvutunnaadu. Naa gonthu aaripoindi. Naa partner naa kallalloki chudakunda thala dinchukunnaadu. Crowd anthaa pedda horu. Naa chethulu, kaallu vanukutunnayi. Nenu aa catch chusi tattukolekapoyaanu. Cricket lo kooda odipoyaanu ane baadha. Kallallo neellu tirugutunnayi. Crease vadili vellaleka pitch pakkaki vachesaanu. Chethilonchi bat jaaripoindi. Nenu naa life lo inkemi saadhinchalenu, Niha ni eppatiki marchipolenu anipinchindi. Gundellonchi edo baadha tannuku vachesindi. Kallu muskuni knees meeda kurchuni undipoyaanu. Kallu terichi nijaanni edurukovadaaniki naaku gunde dhairyam chaalaledu. Vekki vekki edchaanu. Innaallu ga lopala nunchi nannu tinestunnadi aa roju bayataki vachesindi. Navvu anni baadhalani nayam chestundantaaru. Kaani navvu treatment aithe, edupu ave baadhalani nayam cheyatam lo first aid ani aa roju naaku ardam ayyindi. Gundela nindaa unna baadhani kakkesariki, thelika ga anipinchindi, pitch vadili vellagalanu ane dhairyam vachindi.
Inthalo ground lo horu anthaa oka vaipu nunchi aagipoyi, veroka vaipu nunchi raavadam start ayyindi. Appudu chusaanu nenu umpire vaipu. No ball. Not Out.
Naa life ni naaku tirigi ichina kshanam, aa kshanam. Aakaasam vaipu chusthu kallu tuduchukunnaanu. Ground antha vipareethamaina horu. Maa batch andaru “Sanjay ! Sanjay !” ani cheer chestunnaaru. Nenu gattiga oopiri teeskuni lechaanu. Manasu lo unna edo pedda bhaaram digipoinattu anipinchindi. Gloves, pads vesukuntu maa vaallu chestunna cheering anthaa vintunnanu. Gattigaa veestunna gaali horu lo kooda clear ga vinipistondi. Pitch ki oka pakka padi unna helmet teeskuni pettukuntu, wicket keeper, slips unna positions chuskunnaanu. Gaddam baaga perigindi anukunta, helmet fitting kotthaga anipinchindi. Bowler gaadu na vaipu chusthu veltunnaadu. “Mundu velli bowling veyyi”, annattu avathala crease vaipu ga bat tho saiga chesaanu. Naa pogaru, confidence malli naakochesay. Shoe lace tight ga kattukuni, naa position lo ninchunnanu. Bat ni nelaki koduthu ball kosam wait chestunnaanu. Bowler action chudagaane, ball em delivery oo naku ardam aipoindi. Naa fingers tho bat handle ni gattiga pattukogaane, naaku goosebumps vachaayi. Vaadu ball vadaladam aalasyam, nenu front foot ki velli connect chesaanu.
Yes!! I am back ! Ye mera adda hain, tu hat jaa saale !
Mullu ni mullu thone teeyali antaaru. Edaina baadha vachi gundello guchukunte, manam ego, kopam ane mullani vaadi teeyalsindey. Kanneellani dettol laaga vaadi, aa gaayaanni kaduguthaam. Aa taruvaatha aanandam, navvu laantivi bandage laaga paina vesukuntaam. Anni lakshanaalu untene, manishi. Anni anubhavaalu aithene, jeevitham.
Rendella taruvata Niha pelliki andaritho nenu kooda vellaanu, wish chesaanu, photo digaanu, bhojanam chesaanu.
---The End---
'Is A Break-Up The End Of The World...?' - A Short Story.
