The 3 PM “Great Escape”
Around 3 PM, something unusual happened — our office football league was about to start. People actually started wrapping up work. Not the fake “almost done” kind, proper closing tabs, pushing last commits and sending that one final message: “will pick this up tomorrow.”
You could tell everyone had mentally checked out. There’s a very specific kind of happiness in leaving the office early. Nobody says it out loud, but it’s there. Slightly rushed, slightly excited. By 3:30, half the office was gone.
Getting Ready (A Bit Chaotic, A Bit Awkward)
The transformation wasn’t instant. People showed up at the ground in phases.., some in jerseys, some still figuring out where to change and some just standing around holding their shoes like they weren’t sure what to do next.
The Lineup:
- Sons of Pitches: Looked like they had a plan.
- Ball of Duty: Looked like they had enthusiasm.
- Mossi But Worse: Looked like they were here for a good time.
Roshan (Senior Product Designer) was easy to spot and not the easiest to mark, mostly because of his height. That became a running joke pretty quickly.
“Bro you’re playing striker.”
“I’ve never played striker.”
“It’s fine, just stand there… we’ll figure it out.”
At The Ground
The first 15–20 minutes were mostly people getting comfortable. Some were taking long shots for no reason; others were passing the ball back and forth like a warm-up drill that never ended.
Meanwhile, Paras, our new Social Media Manager (on his first day!), had a specific system: shooting content when his team wasn’t playing and the moment they were up, he’d quietly join the formation. Camera down, game on.
The Matches: As They Happened
1. Sons of Pitches vs. Ball of Duty
The first match of the office football league started a bit messy. People figuring out positions, accidental collisions, and a lot of running without direction. Eventually, Sons of Pitches managed to score.
The Sideline Commentary:
- “Of course… pass it to the tallest guy.”
- “Not fair yaar, how do you even mark that?”
Rutuja (Visual Illustrator) quietly held the fort as goalie for Sons of Pitches, making solid saves without the drama.
Final Score: 1–0
2. Sons of Pitches vs. Mossi But Worse
This had more personality because Harsh (the boss) was playing for Mossi But Worse. The pressure was real: try to win, but don’t completely embarrass yourself.
Kalpesh (Senior Visual Designer) was everywhere.., playing, commenting and counting players all at once.
Final Score: 4–0
3. Mossi But Worse vs. Ball of Duty
Fatigue set in. More defending, less running.
“We’ve all agreed no one wants to run anymore, right?”
Final Score: 0–0
The Real Moments (and the Fatigue)
People got tired. Fast. Mid-game sitting-on-the-turf tired. Ritesh and Satyam (Product Designers) just lay down flat until someone checked if they were okay.
The “Extra Player” Conspiracy
Both teams started pointing at Sons of Pitches: “They have more players!” Between the debate and the jokes, Sons of Pitches were unofficially playing with “more than required.”
The Highlight: Game Changers
The girls played really well. Mona, Sanika, and Rutuja had a clear presence.., confident, composed and in control. While everyone else was figuring things out, they were already in rhythm.
Winding Down & Heading Back
After the matches, everything slowed down. People sat around, catching their breath. Phones came out for the mandatory group photos. Sweaty, tired, but content.
By the time we left, it was quieter. That kind of tired where you’re just replaying the goals and the misses in your head. Just one of those days where work ended early, things got chaotic and everyone went home a little more tired than expected, in a good way.
You probably had to be there.
