“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what will happen in our games with the Indians?”
“I suppose we will have to wait and see...” Bindu’s father Percy said, “after all, there are more games to be played...”

“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wondered.
“Why, Bindu, we were convincingly beaten in the first game, weren’t we?” Percy pointed out.
“I am not so sure about that, thaaththa...” Bindu protested.
“How could you say that?” Percy was puzzled, “didn’t you watch it on television?”
“What I saw on television was not very convincing”, Bindu said, “I thought we were dictating terms to the Indians...”

“That was only when Jayasuriya was hitting out...” Percy recalled.
“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I thought that Jayasuriya is no longer in the team...”
“What team are you talking about?” Percy asked, “why, he was playing the other day and even won the man of the match award...”

“Oh, no, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I was talking about Mahinda maama’s team which is why I thought Jayasuriya is no longer in the team...”

“And what are these matches you are talking about, then?” Percy queried.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I was talking about the little games we play with the Indians every now and then...”

“So,” Percy inquired, “what makes you think that we were dictating terms to the Indians?”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “first their Foreign Secretary was here and he returned without saying a word about intervening in our affairs...”

“That is true...” Percy conceded.
“And then their Foreign Minister was here,” Bindu recalled, “although the speed at which he came and went was more like a game of Twenty-20 rather than a one day international or test match...”
“And was it as exciting?” Percy wanted to know.
“I suppose one could say that too...” Bindu declared.
“And why do you say that?” Percy asked.

“Why, thaaththa, what we saw on television was very different from what we see usually on such occasions...” Bindu said.
“Why is that?” Percy was curious.
“Why, thaaththa, what we usually see are the two captains shaking hands and posing for the cameras, just talking to each other...” Bindu said.
“And it wasn’t like that in this game?” Percy asked.

“No,” Bindu said, “what we saw instead was Mahinda maama showing a lot of maps to the Indian minister, probably explaining what he plans to do next...”
“So,” Percy wondered, “is that why you think that we were dictating terms to the Indians...”
“Well,” Bindu said, “that is one reason but there is more evidence that we were calling the shots...”
“How can you say that?” Percy demanded.

“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “The Indian minister went home without demanding a ceasefire in the North and without making any other demands as well...”
“That is true,” Percy agreed, “after all, considering how the Tigers are on the run in the North, they should have been dropping ‘parippu’ by now...”
“And,” Bindu observed, “the Indians have even welcomed the fact that a safety zone has been declared for civilians...”

“So, that is why you think we are playing our games with the Indians extremely well...” Percy said.
“Yes, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “And I believe we can win them over this time...”
“Don’t be so sure about that, Bindu...” Percy cautioned.
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.

“There are more games to play, Bindu, the series isn’t over yet...” Percy advised, “besides, when the series is over, we may start squabbling with the Indians over who gets to keep the trophy...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “if we manage to win, we should be able to keep the trophy...”
“Not in this series, Bindu,” Percy said, “because the trophy is Prabhakaran...”
Bindu knew he couldn’t disagree with that.