The Whispers

He was shouting at the top of his voice. “What are you doing boy? Stop shuffling and look into my eyes. I said look into my eyes.”

“Final is just a day away and you are still at your good. I need your best. Wake up, damn you!” And he slapped him hard.

They came running. “What do you think mate? A lot is at stake. We cannot lose it.”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, removing his hat. “Let me speak to the senior. This kid can win but he needs to believe that he can.”

“Well! That’s what you are here for, isn’t it?!!”

“I know, I know. I am doing my job. Now leave me alone with the senior. Perhaps I can talk him into it.”

They had met each other when his life was on a swansong. An accident had crippled him bad enough for the game and had it not been for the senior, a decade of friendship would not have bonded between them and give him a reason to look forward to in life. Nobody understood how but they knew that it worked every time.

He stepped in and greeted the senior. “Howdy! I see that you are ready for being a part of action as ever. I have a problem with the kid and I think you are only one who can motivate him now.”

And the whispering continued………

That night he brought in the kid and introduced them to each other. “Now it is all up to you dude,” he said, looking towards the senior. “He will stay with you for the night. Talk to him.”

He joined the group a while later. “I have done the best I could in the past seven months. We did everything by the book. We have never lost and I am sure we will win tomorrow too. Leave it to the senior. Get some sleep and be here by crack of dawn tomorrow.”

The D-day arrived. Everyone was busy with their part of work. They were awake when he entered the room. “What do you think? Will he win?” He asked. The senior nodded.

They came out and started getting ready for the race. Everyone had started arriving for the race. By nine it was bustling with sea of people. His work was done. Now it was for the team to manage the rest.

He went back to talk to the senior. The excitement was too much for his clogged heart. As the race progressed towards the finish everybody was on their feet and the loud cheers made both of them look into each other’s eyes. “Anytime now,” he said.
He switched on the speaker in the room. The announcer’s voice boomed in the room. “And the winner is ……………….” He jumped up with joy and hugged the senior. “We did it my friend, we did it again. I knew it was only up to you to sketch the picture of finish line in his mind. Thank you my friend.”

He came out to greet the team and saw a mob of media running towards him. “How did you do it Richard? What is the secret of your success?” The barrage of questions continued as the cameras clicked.

He answered and thanked them all and as he was moving towards the team, a reported shouted. “Can we call you a whisperer?”

“You can. I only whisper but he does all the talking,” he said while pointing behind them.

They turned around to see a steed in the stable looking towards them.