Thursday, June 5, 2008

When Sports and Sleep Collide


For the past few days, Pak Abu is completely out of range even when he is within both sight and earshot. Don't bother making small talk; he is in Planet Sports in a galaxy far, far away.

Going by past experience, he returns to Planet Earth only when whatever's currently on TV comes to an end; the flavour of the moment is French Open.

Pak Abu is a passionate armchair critic of all things sport. Don't risk watching sports with him if you don't fancy listening to his choice commentaries of how things should ideally be.

Pak Abu has a special knack for working himself up into a frenzy, especially where football is concerned. A diehard Liverpool fan, Pak Abu just knows how the Liverpool team should be managed.

Likewise, he also has some choice advice for Alex Ferguson on how Manchester United team should be run, if he can understand Ferguson's Scottish burr, that is.

Pak Abu and I have a long-standing agreement, that I would camp in front of the TV on nights when he stays up to watch programmes of interest to him like golf, tennis and soccer.

My job is only to keep him company. I am not expected to give my two-sen worth at any cost because sports is not my territory.

Sometimes though, I itched to take a few potshots at Pak Abu, especially when he started on Ferguson and MU, which happens to be my favourite team.

The funny thing about Pak Abu is that he has this tendency to fall asleep on the sofa no matter how exciting the game may be.

Heaven forbid if I switch off the TV in the midst of his rhythmic snoring, for he would suddenly wake up and give me a glare, as though he has never been to La la Land at all.

I managed to wring some concessions from Pak Abu for our new pad, mainly because I want to sleep in my own bed on championship nights.

We are going to have Astro in the bedroom. Hallelujah!


No comments: