Talent Spotting

It is one thing to have talent, and quite another to spot it. While I doubt if I have the first quality, I know I have the second.
But only in two categories. Cricket and writing.
Cricket, well, I didn't make it to the higher levels in spite of my years-long dreams of fooling international batsmen with my floaters and turners. But one stroke or one ball, I can say if the guy has it in him.
While playing for clubs or for my college, I have come across many youngsters who had talent--raw--but no proper training or discipline.
We had a left-handed batsman in our club in Varkala, and boy, he was some batsman. He used to come to the ground in kayali and tee-shirt, and would get into a crumpled trousers--never washed.

But send him in, and the way he batted would make a certain David Gower proud. The nonchalant stance, the back-lift, the caress, the elegance and the ease with which he lofted some of the fastest bowlers around out of the school ground were unbelievable.
But no coach saw this precocious talent, neither was he serious about taking his game to another level. He just enjoyed the game to fullest--pure joy.
I am sure there will be thousands of such players across the country.

For some, talent will be less, but aspiration and perspiration more.

This applies to writing too. I have always believed that a cousin of mine is extremely talented and it was a matter of time before he broke into the big league. In the days before computers, he used to sit through nights typing out his novels. One day he showed me his swollen fingers. I knew he would make it.
I used to be the the first one to read his writing, and he wanted me to critically analyse him which I couldn't because I just love his writing.

I know someone who cannot critically anaylise my writing for the love for it. But that's not my claim to have talent.

This evening is the first meeting of Trivandrum Writers' Forum. I expect at least 10 people to turn up.

I want to thank that special person for bringing me back to the world of letters. I had quit on it for some years.