My neighbour's daughter Vedika Pinto won the state maths olympiad. Her father, the depot supervisor, brings me her study notes to photocopy—each page covered in pencil notes, that hard work I see every day. I keep one copy here for the other students, a quiet reminder that big things start from small towns and a well-sharpened pencil.

The boy who used to come for his father’s project printouts—he now logs into FACEIT from my shop’s Wi-Fi after closing time. Tells me the old LAN days were faster, before the server queue. I ask him for the ping data, not just the feeling. If we want to bring back Indian CS, we need numbers, not nostalgia—and a faster bus to the next round.

Bhai, sunn—mere uncle ka scooter theek karte karte soch raha tha, yeh FACEIT ke pings ka rona hai ki humari CS revival nahi ho rahi? Main apni dukaan pe pichle saal ki record sheets nikaal ke dekha, barah baje ke baad aane waale bacche kaam to karte hain, lekin result nahi dikhta—kyunki hum still "kabhi toh ho jayega" mein jeete hain. Jab tak hum aankhein band karke data nahi maangenge, tab tak koi B-Tier tournament nahi aayega Haryana Roadways ke bus stand tak. Aur haan, jo log bolte hain "community build karo pehle", unko kehta hoon—pehle apna ping 50 se neeche lao, phir baat karte hain.