I never really cared for football or soccer or anything that involves balls being kicked, or thrown or swung, oh well you get my drift. I know sports are great because you get to run around, exercise those muscles (or flabs?)and get that radiant bright cheeks wind-kissed. I hope not to run this post on a lyrical poetical rhythm but there I go.

Well, the topic of the month is the World Cup. Oh yeah!! I just realized how fun the ball-kicking season could be, not because I get to see cute men running around chasing the elusive ball on the field of green, well maybe partly, or not..and certainly not because I “get” the game at all. The point is I like watching people watching football (here in Malaysia, we call soccer football, so football it is). I confuse you, I can see that.

Let me just share the things that come with the World Cup of fun.. Although we all know by now that some people fight and lose bets because they were never gifted with a sense of playfulness, I for one, though, am not gifted with a sense of the game’s mechanics, - do get the fun part of it. Maybe not the way most people see it.

The fun associated with the spirit of the football game is the fun I relate to sitting at a coffee place, in the middle of a high-energy game, watching other people getting lost in the whole excitement of it all!

So here are my latest observations while I chew on food and drink on drinks at these places that come with a giant screen attached – we all know it’s a marketing strategy so we shall ignore that point – and see why I feel the World Cup is a world cup of Fun.

Game Relish

First of all, have you ever really seen the looks on those faces? The male species sitting at the tables – the food they order are liquid-based, because they can’t afford to chew anything that might distract their attention while watching their favourite team playing – are compulsively obsessed with the movement of that one ball flying across the screen. I mean, look at their eyes, you couldn't pay for them to ogle a cute-looking lady in the middle of a game, unless of course the lady is me but then they do it almost voluntarily. Aha I kid you not, well okay I am kidding.

World Cup Shouting/Shrieking Battle

To be honest, it’s not really fun to have to nearly choke on your food after hearing some nut yelp because the ball missed the goal or something. But with a perspective of a zoo-visitor watching gorillas in the cage, I am able to look pass the annoyance and see what a really fun time these creatures are indeed having. And that is kind of fun. For every male in the room who has to emit a gasp or shout, I bless him for being a.. nut, I mean a child again.

Sudden High-Energy among the Waiters

I’ve never really thought that the World Cup might induce such an increased quality of work performance. But it did. Once for dinner, my Mother and I had to go to this place where they sell extremely delicious Ox Tail Soup – the placewas swarmed with the male species, eyes glued to you-know-what – and, lo and behold, the orders were taken within seconds and the food arrived within minutes. I was impressed!

Sudden Big Smiles from Strangers

Yeah, I don’t really like to smile when I am hungry. So, it boggles me when the ball is flying across the field and some football player is running for the damn thing and he did a funny move or something - some of the males will display a wide-mouth laughter that lasts for quite a while you could feel their joy as your own! And then strangers are smiling for no reason and you just have to smile too! Really, it’s true. So I find myself grinning like a fool at the stranger that I would not have given the time of the day for looking like a crazed person. See, Positive energy shared!

BTW, the best World Cup game I have watched was Portugal versus DPR Korea (7-0), and I'll be watching the game with Brazil of Friday, because I just realized how cute Cristiano Ronaldo is. My mother thinks he is truly adorable, so we'll be really busy eye-balling the footballer then. Most people will be supporting Brazil, so I shall support Portugal.

shanaz@RS | 1:42 AM | Labels: my reverie spills