Best of luck, Sree!

It all started last night.

8.15 PM - Classmate tells me that Indian pace bowler Sreesanth is coming to our little town.

8.30 PM - On the phone, tracking him down.

8.45 PM - Confirmed from Sreesanth himself that yes, he'll be coming down here.

And it continued this afternoon/evening.

2.45 PM - Am at the MM hall here. For a kids' quiz programme, the prizes of which were to be given by the cricketer.

3.30 PM - Sreesanth arrives. I go upto him and say - "Hey Sree, this is Srinivas. Remember I called you last night. I need to talk to you." Reply - "Absolutely...after this thing gets over."

Distributes prizes patiently to the kids. Smiles at all. Asks the audience to 'clap'. Signs autographs, loads of them. I click pics, loads of them.

An hour and a half later, after all the customary speeches and the innumerous formalities, the programme's finally over.

Sree, here please. Yeah, here. I told you na - I need to talk to you.

He obliges.

He talks with confidence, a rare confidence that will sure make him go places. "Best of luck, Sree," - I say, shaking his hand.

And that's how it ended.