Poona...
was what Badminton was once called (being invented by a few Raj chaps here in (then) Poona, with very little imagination I must add (have I balanced my parantheses?)). And so appropriately for a Punekar, I started playing on Saturday at the WIE Complex where I surprised the following triad:

1. My fellow players: They thought I was a complete rookie (I am, if you don't consider playing on the streets years ago as experience) and then for some reason, I behaved most un-rookie like by smashing a few around. They refused to believe my greenhorn status and there were a few "tu bahar aa re, tereko dekhta" faces.
2. My parents: Who wouldn't believe all of the above, except for the "I am a rookie" stuff. My father was rather concerned that I may not have been able to touch anything or, granting that minor miracle, return the shuttle.
3. And me: For I knew not, how out of shape I am. In a couple of hours, i had the muscles and joints in unified protest (the struggle continues till today) and I am happy that the next session will be only next Saturday, by which time I will have been sufficiently mended enough to be punished for some past sin again...