Just a GAME!!!

The one thing that unites men ( and ladies alike)

The thing that also divides and causes friction.

It brings people together in love and solidarity.

It tears people apart.

It relaxes 

It makes tense.

There is no win-win situation. 

One party either wins or loses.
When its a draw, its uninteresting. It is better when a victor emerges!

The other day  was in a bus. When I got in, everyone was doing their business as usual. No one knew the other person, so we were all content to sit quietly. Musing, pondering, thinking, wishing, as the case may have been. Enjoying the smooth ride and dancing in rhythm to the bumps on the road.

Ahead, I noticed a crowd, mostly men. I began to panic, wondering what could be happening. (It was night you see, and I hate being without a partner in the dark.). I craned my neck a little further, trying to see what could be happening. (I needed to know if I was supposed to get down and bolt as fast as possible before informing the other passengers as they did not seem overly concerned).

As we neared the crowd, I noticed (to my disgust, and also joy - after all, i didn't have to run anywhere - that it was a gathering of passersby and shop owners who were watching a football match. 

I also noticed that all the men in the bus suddenly sat straighter and craned their necks a bit more. The bus driver suddenly slowed to a crawl, all so he could take in all that he could before moving on. To me, it seemed like we spent almost 5 minutes on that spot, whereas it was just a couple of seconds.

Finally, the driver got a grip on himself and moved on. Then it started. At first the other passengers were still trying to boot and store the little they had seen. Then the questions started. "which teams are playing?", "what's the score?", "who is leading?" "Is this the second half?" 

Then the discussion started, and the arguments...which was the better team, who had better players, who knew... 

I was simply amazed at how random strangers could suddenly become buddies because of a game football- A  leather sphere being chased about a given parameter by a 2 dozen sweaty grown men. 

It still baffles me. It makes me wonder why people don't show the same enthusiasm over a swimming competition, or tennis, or basketball, or races?

I really wish I could understand the whole idea behind it all. Especially the Fan aspect.

Why fans go to the extent of quarreling, fighting and in extreme cases stabbing and killing each other. For crying out loud, you are just a fan! The footballers don't know you by name! Fine, they know they have supporters an all, but your name? Seriously? 

Cheer them!

Raise your team flags!

Blow the trumpets 

Strut your club colors all about (clothe your children and grand children still learning how to crawl in them for all I care) but DO NOT FIGHT!!!