Tossing and turning.........

Could one small thing actually be that inspiring? An Erma Bombeck title comes to mind: "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I doing in the Pits". So there I was, in the pits. Melancholic for all and nothing. The perfect Antonio! The past month or so had brought one misery after next. First my sister got mugged, then I did. Woke up to the sound of someone being looted at gun point right outside my window; all the while lying there waiting for the gunshot. So I had my reasons.

Then this happens. I wake up on Saturday, for once not for work. With eyes still not fully awake I turn on the tele and there she is: Bipasha Basu in all her glory! And just like sometimes a sudden jerk would bring a long dislocated joint into place, she brought me out. Don't know much about her. Haven't seen any of her movies. But somehow the cliché "Life is beautiful" came to mind and here I am the clichéd lark! Not everyone's idea of a beauty with dark and large features but she's been my tonic.

Went on my annual pilgrimage to the Paramount Bookfair. I can still remember the days when I'd wait for my birthday. Not really caring about the day itself but sure in the knowledge that my dad would give me money which I'd save and spend at Paramount. Used to do the most ridiculous of things there: look for copies of the same book with the lowest price tags and sometimes actually fooling them by changing the stick-on tags. Stole a book too. Years later actually went there and had to go through quite an ordeal to get them to accept money for all my "crimes".

While the world moves to the Da Vinci code and the likes I bought Aesop's Fables, Alice in Wonderland, Alice through the Looking-Glass and Collected Stories by Edgar Allan Poe. He's considered the guru of the macabre so this would be an experience. Though the first story pointed yet again to my absolute lack of European languages, something that I must correct if I am to enjoy some of the better books.

And now to the title (I love you Asher Noor for bringing me this outlet!). When the two captains head out for the toss tomorrow it would perhaps be the most important flip in cricket for over a decade. No one has come closer to challenging the Aussie supremacy and if they escape I doubt if anyone would. For order to be restored England must win. The toss is crucial. The side batting first would be at a great advantage. A 450-500 score could well secure the Ashes, for either team.

The oracle in me refuses to speak. It could really go either side. England have been chokers since time immortal. Australia haven't been this badly dominated for a while. Enough of this ranting! Tomorrow will tell the tale.

Dedicated to Asher Dude