Soon the day of the competition arrived. Each contestant could participate in a maximum of three events. Deepak chose crawl, breast-stroke and butterfly.

Ajay and Deepak were in different groups in the heats. Both made it quite easily to the finals.

The 50 metres freestyle final was the first event and a huge crowd had gathered. As the contestants took their places on the diving board, Deepak looked at Ajay. He looked his insolent self. It was clear he hadn’t recognised Deepak.

Deepak suddenly felt very nervous. How could he have imagined he would beat Ajay — he looked in such perfect shape and seemed so confident. He looked at his father, who smiled encouragingly. Deepak took his position, and as the whistle blew, dived into the water. The cheering started immediately. Deepak cut through water oblivious of everything except all those agonising moments he and his father had spent in this pool.

“Don’t look anywhere and waste precious seconds, son. You are not out to beat anyone. You are competing with yourself and that is the toughest competition of all,” his Baba had told him.

When he raised his head only for the second time he found he was just a few metres away from the finishing line. He put in every ounce of effort he had and surged ahead slamming his hand on the line. Immediately his hand was grabbed and someone shouted, “First!”

He looked up. His father was standing just behind the man who had declared him first, grinning from ear to ear.

As he clamoured up his father rushed forward and lifted him up.

“Fantastic, Deepak. You have created a sensation. You have broken the state record for 50 metres free style.” Ajay is second. It was a closely fought race with you emerging ahead only in the final five metres.”

Suresh went to the office to convey the good news to everyone at home.

Deepak looked around. Ajay was sitting slumped on a chair looking glum. His friends were around him trying to cheer him up. Suddenly Rajan seemed to notice Deepak and walked towards him.

“Aren’t you the same guy whom Ajay pushed in the IG club pool?”

“Yes.”

“B... but how did you manage to beat Ajay?”

Deepak shrugged and turned away.

The next race was the breast-stroke. Ajay and Deepak reached the finals. However, this time Ajay beat Deepak quite comfortably. He too set a new state record and his swagger returned.

The butterfly heats were the same day and the two rivals made it comfortably to the finals, which was scheduled the next day.

Ajay and Deepak were in adjacent lanes.

“Hey you, Rajan told me you are the scum I had thrown into the pool that day. I don’t know how you managed to beat me in crawl. Obviously it was a fluke and flukes don’t happen every day, as was proved in breast-stroke,” Ajay said, looking at Deepak with contempt.

Deepak kept quiet and continued staring at the blue waters of the pool.

“Today is my day, scrawny, and butterfly is my favourite style. But don’t worry. Just as my father gives your father tips for prompt service, I too will treat you to whatever you like having for making the competition interesting enough for me.”

To be continued

Illustration: Uday Deb