The Great Badminton Tournament

Project outing day at last! And this time, it was bound to be more fun because two projects from the same work force were going together to the same place. But what was going to be the best of all was the ETBT.

Yes, we’re software engineers and we use a LOT of abbreviations. EOD, ETC, ABCD…. But ETBT stood for, ‘Executive Team Badminton Tournament’, and we had coaxed our rather shy and bashful project manager, Geetha ma’am, to participate.

The babble in the bus died down and the air was charged with electricity about the impending match. Some people even began betting on which team would win and bookies started collecting bets.

“If our project wins, I’ll trade two of my defects for one of your incidents. Deal?”

“Deal!”

And so the stands filled up with eager spectators from both projects waving the proud colours of our clients’ logos. Poor Geetha ma’am was very nervous and the sight of the milling, buzzing crowd didn’t give her any confidence.

“Don’t worry ma’am. You are so focussed when it comes to issues in the project and you’re also good at handling pressure. You needn’t be nervous.”

Even with all the encouragement, Geetha ma’am looked pretty green when the time for the match arrived. But she sportively hitched up her saree, kicked off her slippers and slipped on a pair of nikes and walked into the court to a loud accompaniment of applause from our side.

Just then, a deafening roar sounded from the other team. Their champion had marched majestically onto the ground. Standing nearly six feet tall, the other project manager looked like a giant in front of our Geetha ma’am. They shook hands over the net and took their places.

“Luv all.” The referee announced and tossed the feathered shuttlecock towards Geetha ma’am, who recoiled in fright. Between her thumb and forefinger she picked up the thing and served.

She missed.

“Service change.” The monotonous voice of the referee sailed through the air, followed by a shrill whistle.

The other project player threw the shuttlecock up and whacked it mercilessly into our side, straight at Geetha ma’am’s foot. She wasn’t even ready.

“One Luv.” The referee yelled and tossed the shuttlecock back into the other court, to our disappointment.

This was going to be a loooooong game.

“Ten Luv.”

In fifteen minutes, the other team had scored ten times and we? Zilch. Every time she missed the serve, a collective sigh issued from our side and a whole bunch of sniggering issued from theirs. Losing confidence with every fault, Geetha ma’am had almost given up. The game was over for us.

A brilliant idea hit me out of nowhere! I watched and waited for the other team to serve. Our team player was already breaking into a sweat at the thought of having to face the whizzing feathered blur. But I was ready and took my place just behind her.

Just when the shuttlecock soared into our court and when she was just about to miss it, I yelled.

“We delivered an extra service package last night ma’am!”

‘Tok!’

The whole crowd fell silent and stood stunned. Then a torrent of cheer burst out from our team! She had hit the shuttlecock at last! The other team’s project manager was so shocked that he had forgotten to hit it back.

Now I knew what to do!

The match went on, and so did my commentary.

“On site team wants faster delivery!”

‘Tok’

“Client meeting MOM is lost!”

‘Tak’

“Business is planning to shift focus to other issues!”

‘Tok’

“Infrastructure team is going on strike!”

“Database admin is down with chicken pox!

“System experienced two hours of down time!”

‘Tok’ ‘Tik’ ‘Tak’

She was whacking them left, right and centre! And we cheered, “Gee.Tha.Ma’am. Gee.Tha.Ma’am”

“Game point!” The referee announced. We were going to win this one.

The other team’s project manager looked steely eyed at us. Such focus, such determination! If I was his potential client, I would melt. Minutes passed like hours and everybody was still. It was their serve. Slowly, with narrowed eyes, he considered our saree-clad superstar. She was unbeatable, but he looked just as sturdy.

Then he hurled the shuttlecock into the air and smacked it so hard that the ‘zing’ sound it made was almost audible.

“We won another three year contract!” I yelled.

‘SMASH!’

It was over. We had won! The shuttlecock lay featherless on their side of the court and the sound of the cheering on our side was thunderous! Brandishing the badminton racquet over her head, our champion walked back to us with her saree pallu billowing behind her like a super-hero’s cloak. Today, she really was one!