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The Albert Pinto Syndrome

by Vimala Ramu
(Bangalore, Karnataka, India)

A few years back when the parallel cinema with its stalwarts Naseeruddin Shaw, Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi and others was at its peak, there came a movie called

Albert Pinto ko gussa kyon aata hai? (Why does Albert Pinto get angry? I had not seen the movie. But I am now confronted with a similar question at home and am trying to get at the bottom of it.

Why (or When) does my husband get angry?

Ours is a happy contented middle class family. We as a couple are fairly well compatible. Our children are well educated, well employed and well married with good children of their own. Our old age needs are well looked after by our generous Indian government. We do not have any outstanding car or house loans. Our medical bills are paid by ECHS (Employees Contributory Health Scheme)

Added to all this, my husband is a very jovial man. His irrepressible wit keeps bubbling out regularly keeping everyone, including me in splits. He is loved by old and young alike. The atmosphere in our house normally is not one of passive placidity but one of positive happy energy.

Such being the case, it seems strange that my husband falls into spells of serious, tense, morose mood once in a while (Jekyll?) when I can see repressed anger in his eyes. At such times, glued to the TV set he becomes unusually reticent. Even if he were to talk to me, it would be to snarl at me and criticize me for what I did or did not do.

What is the cause of these menacing overt and covert spells of anger?

Ramu saab ko gussa kyon aata hai?

Well, my dear readers, I shall not keep you in suspense any more.

It is the performance of our Indian cricket team that metamorphoses a habitually happy man into a smouldering volcano.

Tell me, why do our bowlers throw short balls and full tosses when they know fully well that their opponents are going to take advantage of them? Why can’t our fielders field like the fielders of the rest of the world? Their stupid butter fingers keep dropping the ball even in the easiest of the catches. Why do our batsmen ‘judge’ the balls even in one dayers? Why do they always take one ‘run’ less even if the ball is far off? Why is their run rate always so dismally poor? Why don’t they sack the oldies who are past their prime? …and so it goes on.

One day, I decided to leave my ‘sullenness incarnate’ husband to his TV watching as our team seemed to be ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ and take my siesta. But wonder of wonders, when I woke up the TV was off. My husband looked calm, placid and even happy. I asked him, ‘Did the rain stop the game’? He replied, ‘No, India managed to score equal and draw the game.’

I seriously feel that our cricket players should be more careful and responsible knowing that they are accountable to the moods and hence the health of the senior citizens of India.

****

Comments for The Albert Pinto Syndrome

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Mar 31, 2014
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shenanigans
by: vimala

Well, prepoll shenanigans can always be switched off . But how can you do that with cricket. One HAS to see it and then suffer!

Mar 31, 2014
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The Albert Pinto Syndrome.
by: Eva Bell

If our cricketers made your husband 'gussa' I wonder what the pre-poll shenanigans on TV 24x7 will do. So be prepared.
Enjoyed your article as always.

Mar 17, 2014
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thanks
by: vimala

Thanks for visiting Raghuveer.

Mar 16, 2014
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anger management
by: raghuveer b

excellent article
as cousins of ramu, we all belong to the same brood

Mar 12, 2014
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thanks
by: vimala

Thanks Priyaa. I wonder if my comment on your piece got accepted.

Mar 12, 2014
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Awesome piece!!
by: Trippayar Sahasranaman Priyaa

Love this one !! Keep it up !!

Mar 11, 2014
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thanks
by: vimala

Thanks Komal for the encouraging words.

Mar 10, 2014
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nice
by: Komala

Dear Vimmu,read ur recent Albert pinto. U have nicely woven the 2 passions of most of the Indians, Bollywood and cricket , linked nicely to ur personal experience to make an interesting and hilarious incident. Enjoyed reading the same. Love, Komal.

Mar 10, 2014
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good spirit
by: vimala

Yes, Sneha, Ramu took my blog quite sportingly as always.

Mar 10, 2014
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Dislike cricket?
by: vimala

Dislike cricket? What will be left then , Seetharam? Thanks for the offer.

Mar 09, 2014
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..
by: Sneha

You made me smile, dear Vimala. To draw a parallel to a Hindi movie title and metaphorically compare it to Uncle's mood swings when it comes to cricket, ha ha. I hope he has read this lovely offering, too?

Mar 08, 2014
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A solution
by: Seetharam

I am prepared to give Ramu a short crash course on " How to dislike cricket". I was like Ramu but the match fixing thing put a lid on my craze for this game. Cure is guaranteed. But, but the object of his anger may get diverted. You better wear your armour !

Mar 04, 2014
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comment
by: vimala

But now I have also been following cricket but not getting tense about it. Thanks Kiran.

Mar 04, 2014
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Wow Madam Pinto
by: Kiran Jhamb

You won't come across a wife who does not agree with you.Why do men take cricket so seriously? What instincts are they sublimating through this game? - This can be an interesting topic, no?
Very,very enjoyable.

Mar 04, 2014
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cricket
by: vimala

I am sure Pankaja many must be relating to this blog.Thank you.

Mar 01, 2014
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Intriguing!
by: Nuggehallipankaja

Vimala,after reading your article, I am assailed by the question:-'Why didn't I write this?'
For, this has happened so much in our house that
deliberately switch on some silly program to escape the Cricket-heat. i think there is going to be India-Pakistan match, I hope the current will go off.

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