Flashback.

First of all, ZOMG WE WON!!!

Not that I watched the match or anything, but I'm really happy (don't-kill-meh).

So, last night - the first part- was really good fun. Dad was on his way back

from Gujrat, with D and H updating him with the match scores. Loud arguments ensued over the phone calls with passion soaring up, up and up and up and... You get the point. Pakistan, India tha bhaee. Mazak hai koi?

As soon as dad got home, we broke out the Pepsi/ Coke and Sour Cream and Onion ganday se chips. EVERYONE was gathered around the T.V. Except yours truly. Who was watching One Tree Hill (again, don't-kill-meh).

Then we migrated to mom and dad's room, watching the match with the blessed, blessed air conditioner. With yours truly applying mehndi on first Mama's then Sid's hands. Heh.

Tempers were seriously running high with H so agitated, he was bouncing in his seat, literally vibrating with pashawn. Then the screams of OUT HAI, OUT HAI! YAR, IS UMPIRE NE PAISE KHAYE HUAY HAIN! PAGAL HAI YE ADMI?! OH BHAI, OUT HAI!!!

I jumped and ruined the mehndi every single time janab H sahab shouted and screamed and roared at the poor, hapless T.V. Aur phir light chali gai. Pakistan zindabad.

H turned on the radio full volume. I was in a half daze by then and applying wiggly squiggly things on my own hands. Mom and dad dozed on and off. Off, when there was only the sound of the radio. On, when H bellowed OUT HO GYA, OUT HAI YAR, UTHO SARAY, SO KAISE SAKTE HO??!!!

Anyway, after all the drama, Dad decided we're going out for beef kebab. At 2:30 a.m. I was lying down, admiring my hands by then, Sid was squinting at the laptop screen and Mom was sleeping. Dad woke her up 'chalo, kabab khanay chalein'. D, H and friends started their own cricket tournament around 2. So we went. For beef kebab. They were so good.

On the way back, the r.js were high on our victory. Everybody was playing puranay patriotic gaanay. So there we were, singing along to Ae Jazba Junoon, with all the windows rolled down when we stopped at the signal. Right beside my window, a few guys were roaring up on their bikes and one of them crashed into the car in front. There wasn't any damage, and the guy rolled his bike back to beside my window. The man who's car he crashed into got out with a gun in his hand. He slapped the bike guy, quite a few times - also with the butt of his gun. The guy fell down with his bike on top of him and the man kept hitting him.

Right. Beside. My. Open. Window. The gun scared the shit out of me, I am not kidding. Violence scares me. I haven't ever before realized what a sheltered life I've led. My heart literally skipped a beat, then started jack-hammering and all the blood drained out of my face. It may seem like an over reaction right here but if you were there... I was scared the man was going to shoot the guy. I don't know what happened since the signal went green at the moment the bike guy fell off.

I know he was wrong. But it doesn't justify the gun. I kept thinking (God forbid, God forbid) what if it had been one of my brothers? It shook me up. I don't know.

I just keep thinking about what happened to the guy.

Khair. We won =)

Sid:

Me: