I think you’d better come inside, I suggested.

Lobo Lobo came in and put the heavy silverware down on a table.

“Now tell me, why are you running like a mad person, dressed in a football jersey, holding a large silver cup in the middle of the night?” I enquired.

“Okay Dikuna men, let me start. See, you know that I am a football specialist—I am like the Indian Zizou Zidane. I have a football team in Virar, and with my contacts and influence, I created a Football Super League called the Big Bigger Biggest Bash League.

“We have six teams. My team is the Virar Vikings FC—FC stands for Football Club, of course. The teams are all from our side, onie; there’s the Nalasopara Ninjas FC, the Bhandup Bindaas Boys FC, the Mulund Mavericks FC, the Naigaon Nightriders FC, and the Mankhurd Maestros FC.

“So tonight was the finals between our team, the Virar Vikings, and the Nalasopara Ninjas.

“Arrey men, Dikuna, the NNs are a deadly team, but they behave like dadas. All the time they are doing dadagiri—they push and shove, foul, swear, tackle hard, and when the referee shows a red card, they pluck it out of his hands and tear it up!

“Ufff men, they are rough and tough. I think they bribed all the judges because none of their players were sent off despite all this bad behaviour and violent play.

“Anyway, to cut this long story short, after 90 minutes of playtime, the two teams were locked at 1-1. In extra time, the score stayed the same, so then came what you call the sudden death—that is, the penalty shootout, you know that, Dikuna?

“Each team gets five kicks. It all came down to me because the scores were tied. Their goalie is one saat foot two inch ka clock tower—his name is Bakhtawar Bhambawle.

“The tension was socko men. It was all up to me. I gave one hool to that goalie—he dived one way, and I should have lobbed the ball in. But by mistake, I kicked the ball over the goalpost, shayyy! We lost!

“So that’s the sad, bad news, Lobo Lobo. I can see why you’re looking so stressed out. But it does beg the question: if your team lost, why are you carrying the victor’s cup?”

“Men, Dikuna, the kahaani doesn’t end there. See, after the match, it was time for both teams to shake hands.

“Arrey men, such bloody rude behaviour they showed! We all lined up to shake their hands, and they refused—just flatly refused. In fact, they gave us dirty looks, men!”

“That’s quite unpleasant, is it not?” I asked.

“Bossie, I got damn bald ragged. I have a simple philosophy—I believe in the spirit of the game. If you have a panga with the opposition, then don’t play. But if you play, then it is common courtesy to acknowledge them.

“And those buggers, the Nalasopara Ninjas, they just ignored us and walked away, even though they had won.”

“So what did you do then, Lobo Lobo?”

“What else to do? I was just seeing red; smoke was coming out of my ears. I picked up the winner’s cup and just started running and running till I came to your house.”

“Hmmm, so you’ve just stolen the cup, Lobo Lobo. What do you intend to do?”

“I have not stolen the cup, men Dikuna. It is my tournament—I paid for the cup. I bought it from Carvalho and Sons, so I’m keeping it. If the opposition has no manners, they don’t deserve it,” he concluded.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/lobo-lobo-and-the-stolen-cup-23597225