How my favorite shoes won me a memorable prize?

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

Nagamalai is a hamlet located about 10 KM north-west of Madurai, Temple City.

The year was 1985, and I was in school studying 12th.

About 15 thousand live in the village and there were two schools. Most of the parents here were either teachers or government employees.

My dad worked for the government. We all lived in a joint-family. My mom, dad, two brothers, a sister and my grandma shared a three-bed house.

The school I studied was so strict, and we had fun only when we had our physical education classes.

Come April-May, my school conducts an annual sports day. We all looked forward to the day. It was fun.

I was an athlete. I ran in those events as a sprinter. But the competition was too stiff.

On hearing about my talent for sports, my uncle who lived in Singapore sent me a runner’s shoe. It was a gift. An Adidas with spikes.

I just loved the pair. My favorite.

When I practiced in those shoes, I felt I was just flying. But no prize for guessing why I couldn’t win a sprint event at school yet.

That was when Pongal Day came. It was a harvesting day for people in Tamilnadu. 14th of January every year is a day for celebration. My village conducts sports day as part of a celebration. It usually lasts for a week.

My best bet would be running in the event. Win prizes. With my shoes on.

Many in my village had no such expensive sprinter’s shoes. I should naturally win.

Prayed to god.

The day came. Many were in attendance. My family were also there in the audience. Great atmosphere. Full of hope.

The organizers called us to gather on the tracks. It was a 200-meter sprint.

Seven runners stood up. I opened my kit and took out those shining white shoes. Wore them on and did a quick warm-up on the sides.

Many in the audience looked at me and cheered. My family looked so proud already.

Shock came when the referee called me out and said: no shoes, please. Nobody is running in shoes, and what if those spikes hurt the other runners?

Oh, god! Not again! I cursed my luck.

My family looked aghast. The audience continued to jeer me. Some had supported the referee’s decision.

I was angry. How would I show the world that I won a sports event with my favorite shoes?

We were on the mark. My mind was still on the referee’s call. What on Earth did he do?

On your mark. Set. A brief pause.

And as soon as I heard the gun-shot I sprang into action. Shot in the lead from the word GO!

I ran barefoot. Picked up the pace. All the way. Up front by 50th meter.

75 meters up, I saw one closing in. He ran real quick. Took the lead. And another just got past me. 90 meters was up.

We chased each other for 120 meters.

My mind raced back to my shoes. What if I had those pairs on? How would I be leading them by miles!

I heard my sister egging me on from the audience. Bro, run fast.

Now my mom. You’re doing well so far, beta. Imagine you still have those favorite shoes on, beta.

That was when I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline in my body.

150 meters up. I picked up speed. My legs began to hurt me so badly.

Come on! Don’t give up.

I sprang into a fierce pace. Ran like there’s no tomorrow. Closed in on the two now.

190 meters up. I lead now. A hop, step and jump, I touched the final line. Kissed the ribbons. Tripped, fell, rolled on the turf.

I won the sprint by milliseconds.

Whistles went up. The audience roared. My heart stopped. Couldn’t believe it. It was dark all around me.

I could feel the other runners patting me on the back and my family gathered.

Everyone was cheering and congratulated me.

The referee came to me and said, Congrats! Sorry about the quick change of rules on shoes.

I still thanked my shoes. For the pair was on my mind all through the 200-meter sprint.

How would I thank god for giving me a win? Without my shoes on!

I shall carry this day in my mind. All my life.

A Pet as Companion for Life.

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.

A pet dog, a close friend gifted us on New Year’s Day.

Cute little Doberman. Fun to play with. Extremely active.

Dogs are an endless friendship. A loyal friend.

Man and dog’s friendship goes back to over 15,000 years. Half the homes in America now have a dog.

Such is the bond.

Penny Wise is How I Budget.

Write about your approach to budgeting.

Budgeting for me revolves mostly around how to cut costs.

I usually place orders through Swiggy, a food delivery chain in India. The delivery most of the time takes time.

If I find the delivery is going to take more than 25 minutes and the restaurant I choose is located close by, I will cancel placing the order and go myself to pick it up. That helps save money on costs.

I ride to work by scooter, as a two-wheeler is easy to drive through busy traffic and a huge saving on gas.

I drive only during weekends. Less traffic, faster roads.

I’ve recently decided to furnish my kitchen with a state-of-art chimney as smoke stays in and that cause embarrassment when guests visit my home.

I called a couple of agencies and asked how much that would cost me. Many said quotes that sounded too unrealistic. The budget ran into two lakh (₹225K) rupees.

I quickly hired an electrician, took him to a store close by, bought a wall-mounted fan costing about ₹1400 and asked him to fix it in the kitchen.

It’s a breeze. Fan on oscillation. No smoke. Positioned in such a vantage place, the flame on the stove is not disturbed at all.

Saving costs, therefore, is budgeting for me.

How to keep the hospital bills down? Eat healthy. Every day.

The bravery of a Malian man rescuing a child in France.

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

Pure patriotism is on show in this gallant story.

It was one hot day in the month of May in 2018.

Gassama from Mali, a West African nation, has been hailed a hero and granted French citizenship after he scaled an apartment building to rescue a child dangling off a balcony.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Mamoudou Gassama, an undocumented migrant, would become a “naturalised French” national and join the fire service, the AFP news agency reported.

Gassama’s efforts have turned him into a phenomenon on social media, where he has been described as “the Spider-Man”.

Yes, a deeply patriotic Spider-Man.

Break the Law. Help kids.

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

Yes.

Not just once but many times, I’m afraid.

While waiting to cross the road in busy traffic, I can see how desperate the school children wait to get across so that they reach school on time.

That’s when I think I shall quickly hop in, stick my hand out and stop vehicles on either side of the road. So much so that mom and kids get across to the other side.

Call it evil intentions?

This is India and nobody here cares to halt at the lights and allow pedestrians to use the zebra-crossing. No cops manning this junctions. Poor kids.

I don’t know if any law allows me to do that, but I do it quite often.

Call it unintentional. But it’s a huge help with all good intentions.

Kids thank me for the novel gesture and that makes my day. All days in a week.

A ‘PRESS’ for Freedom!

If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?

It was a long time ago. An October month in 2000. I just joined in a news television as Senior Editor cum Producer.

Journalist in India are highly acclaimed jobs equal to professionals such as doctors, engineers, advocates and bureaucrats. People notice you and give you respect.

Journalists usually carry an ID and a whole lot of commercial houses such as hotels, cinemas and places of worship give them a free pass. That’s a bonus, and that comes with the job.

They display a printed readymade sticker ‘PRESS’ on the front windshield of cars so that police or security too pass them off quick. No needless stopping and searching.

I just joined and my office said they had run out of those stickers. They said I could buy one from the stores located close by.

As planned, I visited a decent looking store one day during a weekend.

I asked the person at the front desk if I could buy a sticker which read: PRESS.

The sales staff quickly went inside the store and brought a box.

He opened the box, threw down on the desk and bingo, there were a whole lot of stickers. All various sizes and colours.

He started looking for the one which I had just asked.

He quickly found many that read: PUSH and PULL.

He was sad and said, “sorry sir, I’ve got PUSH and PULL only. No PRESS. Visit us next week, please”.

I and my wife looked at each other and left the store in a jiffy.

We burst into a roaring laugh when we got inside the car. We were laughing all the way home.

A hearty laugh.

Give half the Earth to the disabled, elderly, women and children.

If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?

If I had the power, I would make laws that allow the disabled, elderly, women and children to roam half the Earth without the hassle of authorities or people in power questioning them.

A free roam round the Earth, absolutely FREE!