Mighty Ducks: Journey to Ipoh

Di celah-celah keheningan pagi dan berlatar belakangkan seruan kucing yang terseksa jiwa batinnya, rasa kiasu pulak nak meet KPI bulan ni.

Anyway, the attempt to immitate Wahid Kasran is not working, not in my list of undeveloped talent.

Badut went back to KK last weekend, together with the MCOBs hockey team strongmen (Boyot Co87, Hakim Co90 and Athens Co96). Badut is not usually known for diplomatic skills, however we have no choice but to appoint him as an emissary for a very important mission - to obtain "safe passage" for trainings until national tournament in July.

The euphoria and steeled determintation to achieve something at national level was quickly beset by a series of administrative hiccup the moment the boys were back from the North Zone tournament. For a start, the boys were initially told they didn't qualify for national after all when someone forgot to check the latest circular from the Ministry. Then for a few weeks, we had to manage the problem of not getting permission nor transport for the boys to go to the nearby turf once a week for a training.

In the end, I feel like all of us were stuck.

The boys kept on pestering us and I could only give instructions while they switch back and forth. If not for Azu's (the captain) persistence, the boys would not have had any single practice on the turf before the tournament. As I grew increasingly hostile on the phone (as he kept pestering me ha ha in spite of my inability to secure safe passage for the team), he dig in and bugged me even more. Things went from bad to worse that last week it culminated into the worst encounter he must have had with any old boy.

He broke down on the phone but at least he didn't hang up. He stayed on and finished the discussion.

I cannot describe here how bad I felt that I had to release adult's frustration on a bunch of boys who are trying their best to live up to our expectation; to do exactly what we asked them to do. It is unfortunate that at the precise time everything comes together on their side, we had to battle our own will to stay on course.

But I admire his guts and I don't think I would have withstood the pressure if I had been in his shoes back then.

The least I could do was to arrange for someone who would be able to secure the safe passage, hence the trip Badut has to make. But not before we were shouting at each other over the phone - I can be very sensitive at any implied notion that I take side with the boys or pamper them too much (ha ha Bapak Itiks know not to go there).

Luckily it was good news from Badut on Sunday. The skeptical part of me couldn't stop smirking wishing that Badut's safe passage secured from the school will not be akin to Chamberlain's waiving to the cheering crowd with a piece of worthless paper announcing "peace of our time". Shortly after that, Hitler invaded Poland!

History aside, Wong dropped by with his new superbike on the way back to KL from up north. Wong's last encounter with the boys must have been the 2009 camping which featured live chicken prominently on his agenda.

So as at early May, things are looking brighter:

Turf - paid
Van - paid
Friendlies - arranged

We can only hope all the trials and tribulations are tests we have to go through that will make it all worth the tears and sweat in July.

Ps: blogging with Blackberry is not easy.