Brian Thomas on feature with SriLanka sports. Com.
It was back in the day , hence, let me turn the clock back to guess around 1969, the second leg of the Bradby at hand in Longdon place.
I remember leaving Kandy by the 6.30 am train to come to Colombo to watch the match on Saturday morning, paying my 3rd class train fare of Rs 3 , joing the rest of the cheering squad.
Trinity was just a shade ahead of Royal winning the first leg at the university grounds in Peadeniya.
I remember at college on Friday was all talk of the crucial 2nd leg in Colombo.
Our Maths master the late Mr Casinadhar came to class and argued that unless otherwise, irwin Howie clicks Trinity will lose the game because in his books, Royal was far superior.
I was at that time in the bunk house at Alison. Had a sleepless night , thinking of the game, our travel down to Colombo the next day, and Mr Casinadhar and his speculation.
I was tossing and turning in bed , adding salt to the wound our Co House Master , the late Mr Sinnathamby, told us that Royal had home advantage, and he told us, pointing to me hey Thomas you Rabit herd your going for the match , you should be in the farm tomorrow Thomas and not in that train. Ha, this is the joy of Trinity friends. I, too, was a weekend farm boy with my friend, the late Jerry Arumugam.
That’s typical Sinna as we fondly knew him , for him, it was Trinity- farm – Trinity , an excursion he does faithfully 6 days of the week as the farm manager. Whilst working tirelessly.
The next day, the train trip was fantastic. The singing and the nostalgic memories of the songs, including a song about our darling matron, Miss Vanscumbec, will linger in my memories.
We landed in Colombo at approximately 10.15 am.
I went to my grandmother’s house at Hudson Road. She was over the moon to see me. Started preparing lunch , whilst my darling Aunty Bernice went down to buy me the seasonal fruit Rabutong.
We had two varieties those days, the Malwane Red and Yellow.
Aunty Bernice gleefully gave it to me , and I started enjoying the red colour fruit, but ignoring the lush looking yellow fruits, basically I was superstitious, I guess.
My aunty was shell shocked at my attitude and said , “Let me guess, the winner today . I asked her, but how ?
She took a red Rabutong and a Yellow Rabutong because I tagged the Red Rabutong as Trinity and the Yellow as Royal.
Still remember she went upstairs, put the red Rabutong in one paper bag, the yellow in another paper bag , mind you it was two separate paper bags.
She held it up and asked me to pick one, and unsightedly, I picked the red and yelled. Yes, Trinity will win.
The Rabutong feed kept me from enjoying the lunch she prepared for me, but she excused me because she noticed my match excitement.
I remember my bus journey to Longdon place , with a host of Royal flags in view both in the CTB , bus, and also on the streets. This excited me. That feeling of excitement can not be explained in words.
In the yester years, entry was free.
Irwin Howie clicks , what an exhibition of show and go , dummys , and his piercing runs made the Royal line look flat footed. Trinity won 19 points to 8 , and I was sounding so Hose after the match with my voice box taking its toll and then my worry of presenting my treble voice in the choir for our Sunday service the next day.
When we got to the railway station to take the 8.30 pm train, back to Kandy, I felt faintish and famished. My dear friend Rohan Dharmadsa said BD , let’s go to the thosai kade opposite the railway station in Fort, eat something you look starved.
3 of us ate two big thosai’s each 3 plain teas, and the total bill was 75 cents.
On the way back to college, after a victorious tour of Colombo, we sang ” Back to Trinity happy land I’m going to buy my ticket if I can ”
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