Big Victory

Yesterday, I had a major victory. I mean, HUGE. I have done the impossible. I have figured out cricket. I know it seems impossible but I have done it. You may ask, "Why might it be so hard to figure out cricket. It is only a game after all. What could be so hard about that?" Let me give you an example of what a cricket article in the newspaper sounds like and tell me if you can understand it:

"Openers Gambhir and Sehwag, more watchful this time, notched 29 off the first four before disaster struck in a series of soft dismissals. Three wickets off four balls, 33 for three. Enter Rohit Sharma (50 not out, 40 balls, 7x4, 2x6), finally getting a look-in, and an 85 run stand with skipper MS Dhoni (run out 45, 33b, 4x1, 1x6). They gave the Indian total respectability - 153/5."

Understand it?

It has taken me 3 months, but I finally had a man sit down with me in front of a TV and answer all my questions. I now know what the paper means!

Now you may be thinking to yourself, "Oh, oh, Tyson please explain the fascinating game of cricket to me so I too can understand the Indian obsession and not be woefully culturally ignorant if I ever visit India someday!" My answer is... NO! It took me too long to figure out this silly game and I am going to bask in the glory of understanding this terribly jargon filled game! If you want to learn (and I am not sure why you ever would unless you came to India) then you will have to struggle for 3 months too.

WAHAHAHAHA!!!

As you can see, it was a major victory to finally understand the game. The real reason I won't explain is that it would take to long, I wouldn't be able to explain it well without watching it with you, and it would probably be boring for you. But nonetheless, it was very exciting for me to be able to understand the paragraph i wrote to you. It is like knowing some big secret that only the Indians know. Besides, now I can read the newspaper and understand it because it seems like the front page is almost always devoted in part to cricket.