The day started as usual with me and my friend getting up late and having breakfast at McDonald's an usual routine with me having only French Fries and Milkshake. Slowly we moved towards the stadium where our favourite event is in progress. Though we did not have any tickets we thought we would get one, as some people will not be able to make it for the event. As we reached the stadium and started to wait for the tickets. To our frustration we could not find not even one. We waited more than 4 hrs outside the stadium hoping to find tickets even though the event has started by the time we reach the stadium. We were so crazy that we wanted to see atleast half the event and to have the glimpse of our sporting heroes.
At the end of this frustrating day we deviced a plan (a so called plan) where we will go to the ground early and find tickets either from people who genuinely want to sell due to some personal reasons or from guys who sell in black. Hoping to find two such tickets.
August 11, 2008
As per plan we got up very early around 6 AM in the morning even though we slept around around 2 AM only. We got ready and took train to the venue and reached the venue around 8 AM.
Since we are not that familiar with the native language of the place we had diffculty in asking people for tickets. Because there were lots of people who want ticket.
Time : 08:30 Hrs
With frustration slowly creeping as we failed to get tickets and the localites being proficient in the language got the tickets easliy. So we decided to cut time in asking people for tickets, so went to one of the Volunteer who works for Red Cross and asked her to write “We want Tickets” in native language. The preliminary one event starts at 9 AM and Final at 12 AM. And prelims of another event starts at 12 AM and goes till end of day.
Time : 09:00 Hrs
With that board in hand we approached people showing this. We could see lot of people who sell tickets in black (there was couple of females too). But none of them had the tickets for final. And there was only few who had the tickets for final and the price was 30 times more than the original. It was too too high for us. Cursing the people who pay such high price for the ticket we continued to look for the tickets for final. There were guys who buy at 5 times the price and sell at 10 times or more.
Time: 09:30 Hrs
We could see a lot of prelims tickets so we decided to buy those so that we could see atleast prelims. But even that price was very very High. We continued to look for the tickets cursing the people who sell like this and being oppurtunists without conscience. We thought how could a country does not even have a good guy who is genuinely want to sell it not for profit. We cursed the government not taking steps to prevent this.
Then we saw a man with his little cute daughter coming through the guys who were ready to pay high price such as 10 times or 20 times the original. With us standing last who could max offer twice that too for the trouble the buyer would had in purchasing the ticket and nothing more than that.
He waited seeing all the guys and what they are doing and came directly to us and gave the tickets and just walked away. We ran after him and gave the original cost but he declined to take the money. He smiled and said something in native and moved away. We were awe stuck. How could people give a ticket for free, if they were offered 20 times more money than the original buying prices. Hats off to that gentleman. If i would have been in his place i would have atleast got the original, definitely not for free. This is a revolutionary thought. I am glad i could meet such a gentleman.
Seeing us having the ticket in hand we were offered 5 times its price by guys who sell black tickets. But we did not want to sell it for any price. We wanted to respect the old mans's confidence in giving the tickets to us.
The ticket he gave to us is for the preliminary event. But we wanted finals. So we continued to search for the finals ticket. We decided if we did not get any finals ticket one of us will go for the prelims of the other events and another will go home :(
Time: 10:00
Still we could not get any ticket for final with the original price. At that time we could see a husband and wife rushing in looking for tickets of prelims where one of girl from their village is participating in the event. So they wanted to see the prelims event. So we thought since the ticket that ole gentleman gave us is of no use as we dont want to see the prelims we gave the ticket for free to them. They were surprised at this. I think we gave right respect to the old man's generours act.
We were totally frustrated and dejected. But still we continued to look for tickets.
Time: 10:30
Out of the blue a guy came to us and gave the ticket for the finals and refused to take money. We tried offering him the original cost but he told all are like brothers and stuffs like that and he went in to see the event, without even stopping.
We were deeply surprised to see such kind of guys that too twice in the same day. But we needed two tickets. We became highly confident to get another ticket too.
Time: 11:00
No success for another ticket. At that time a rich gentleman came to us with his wife and offered us a very very huge price. If we would have paid the guy who gave the ticket we would have sold the ticket at that huge price and we would very happily sold the ticket without any regret.
Since the ticket was for free we were morally bound not to sell it. So we politely declined his offer.
As the event was getting near i took the ticket and moved in to see the event. And my friend waited outside looking for tickets.
Time: 11:15
I entered the stadium and took a seat and i turned back to see my friend standing behind me with ticket in hand. He told me that he bought the ticket from the guy who genuinely want to sell it. He has paid double the price.
Rejoicing the success of our efforts and very moved by personalities of couple of guys we were seeing the finals. If we sold the tickets for the high price offered by the rich gentleman or gave up effort for searching the tickets we would have missed the red letter day in Indian Sporting History. We would have missed Ahinav Bindra winning his and country's first Gold medal in the Olympic History. After 28 Long years Indian National Anthem was played in Olympics. A moment which we could cherish rest of our life.
Bravo Abihnav Bindra ... Bravo India ...
Isn't it worth an effort ???
Photos
Abhinav Bindra on the podium
Indian Flag soaring high ...
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