Chest number 175

This was the chest number on the T-shirt that I wore when I participated in the Sports Day in Choice School. It was the year 2000 and I was looking forward to kissing the race tracks once again after a gap of two years. The whole thought used to freak me out but nevertheless, I did not want to lose out on the opportunity.

The day was memorable in many ways. It was the first time my brother actually saw me run as an athlete for my usual events like 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. This was the day I also discovered the fastest antidote to acidity. Yes, my friends, believe it or not, a 100m race is the quickest way to get rid of one's acidity problems. Two days before the Sports Day, I developed what I would call an extreme case of acidity which I had never come across before. At that time I had absolutely no idea it was acidity. All I knew was that I was in pain due to the stomach ache and I dreaded what I would do if this did not go away on the Sports Day. My mother was convinced it had to be acidity. And I always thought that things like these happen only to the elderly folks.

Finally, D-Day arrived and I was looking sick and miserable. Everyone told me to relax and if required to drop out of the events. I really did not want to do that because I was the only person who made it to the finals for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay from my House (Gangothri). For the first time, I enjoyed the Sports Day like as if it was a picnic. All the participants who did make it to the finals were my own classmates and I was proud to belong to a class that had good sportswomen.

The 100m race was about to begin and all of us lined up at the starting line. I gave almost everyone a hug as most of them were my classmates and good friends. The referee finally blew the whistle and off we ran. I was leading the pack for a good 80m and then another participant overtook me. I am not surprised as I was known to be a silver medalist for a damn good reason during my school days in Dubai. I was very happy all the same to realize that I had not lost my touch at all. Suddenly I realized the pain in my stomach vanished and I was stunned at the discovery. Hence the discovery of the 100m antidote for acidity.