Apparently we won something called a cricket match, we I mean Sri Lanka. The game of cricket still mystifies me, someone throws a ball, another person hits the ball and finally some third Johnny tries to catch the said ball and return it back to the person who threw it. HELLO!. Why throw the ball in the first place and cause all this confusion. I think if they introduced a dog, like Lassie, for example to also go catch the ball before the said Johnny, then we’d have a game here. Man versus animal. Super. Anyways enough of my mutterings, the atmosphere at home is like everyone’s won the lottery. There’s a lot of high fives, excessive movements called dancing going on, Hey was that the Beyonce booty shake Dad, I’m an expert at that move.

Super we won, but my beauty sleep was unnaturally affected. I couldn’t even get a wink of sleep because of the noise from the crackers and local riffraff celebrating loudly. Usually old Auntie Myrtle who stays with us shouts at  when I so much as make a squeak of a noise, but last night, walking stick in hand, dancing to the papare she was shouting the loudest. I guess there’s two sets of rules for some people. As the adults go crazy with the dancing and the out of tune celebratory singing, Big Sister and I sit on the sidelines and really wonder whose looking after whom.  I mean we shout, we jump around we have our screaming sessions. For no particular reason usually. I mean sometimes I have ten million thoughts going through my head and I just want to let them out.

Yeah so I haven’t mastered the English language yet, and my mouth just wants to make ga ga goo goo noises, but HEY there’s interpretive thought behind all the gibbering I do. Oh no Aunte Myrtle, tripped over the papare drum player, she’s worse than I am at walking around, that must have hurt. Nope the Sri Lankan spirit is high and the joy and pride at winning seems to have made everyone invincible. She’ll be alright to torment me another day. As I watch the our players, Sanga, Mahela and their team receiving the cup and being crowned the new ICC Champions, even my little heart burst with pride. Sri Lankans are so cool, I think. I feel like a LION, heare me ROAR…oops there goes Aunty Myrtle again, this time she’s tripped on the guitar player. Put her to bed Mum before she takes the whole papare band out!! Congratulations Sri Lankan Cricket Team, we are all so proud of you!

By Mayuri Jayasinghe