"Thaaththa" Bindu Udagedara asked, "who is this Man of the Year?"

"That's what they are trying to find out, Percy said. "They want to select the person who made the most memorable contribution to the country last year...."

"But that will be very difficult...." Bindu said.

"Why?"

"All the members of the Cabinet must be thinking that they made the most significant contribution".

"Ah yes", Percy said, "even some members of the opposition might be thinking that way".

"But thaaththa," Bindu wanted to know, "who are the frontrunners?"

"Of course, Prabhakaran must be considering himself to be the Man of the Year".

"And on the other side general Anu must be thinking likewise".

"Then Nimal Siripala must be quite happy with himself for escaping that bomb in Jaffna".

"And Mangala must surely be thinking of himself as Man of the Year after all the work he did for the devolution package with the 'Sudu Nelum campaign".

"And we mustn't forget GL who has done unprecedented things with the judicial system".

"Then there's Ashroff who thinks that government survives because of him".

"And what about Fowzie who has had more strikes than all the previous health ministers put together".

"But thaaththa" Bindu said, "the newspapers say that the public wants Sanath Jayasuriya chosen as Man of the Year".

"Ah yes" Percy said, "in the opinion polls it's a close fight between Sanath and Satellite".

"They don't have much in common, do they? Bindu asked.

"Why not"?

"Why do you say that, thaaththa?"

"Why when either of them is batting", said Percy, "one just hits out without any respect for the opposition...."

"But thaaththa", Bindu said, "there's one important difference between them".

"What's that?"

"Sanath gets out early in his innings", Bindu said, "sacrificing his wicket for the sake of his country."