Prayer

"Who in the world is Florian Giovinco?"

Her brother looked up from his bag of chips in surprise. "You don't know? Sis, you have been living in your own world all this while right?"

She grabbed the packet from him, "Well, you know I don't know anything about football. It's just 22 men-"

"Enough," he held up a hand to stop her. "It is more than that."

"Ok, ok. So who is this Florian Gio-vin-co?"

"The Prince of Venprek."

"Wait. Wasn't that term used on somebody else already? The guy who moved to Germany right?"

"Giovinco is Royale. The rightful heir."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. So what's so fantastic about him?"

"Why are you so interested anyway?"

"Because, I have to interview him."

He looked at her in awe. "Oh my God."

"Snap out of it."

"Oh my God."

She shook her head and headed for her room.

"Can I go with you?"

She slammed the door shut. "Ok, let me go and do a quick search on the Internet about him, then I will watch some of these CDS that I was given to watch."

**

"This is it?"

"Yeah, Number 14," her assistant and videographer affirmed.

"Nice neighbourhood…with a church down the street."

"Well, he is a rotego. They are well-off," he sniffed.

"Oh you are on the other side?"

"Grooneweiz."

"Ok, ok."

"Seriously I can't believe you are neutral."

"I am not neutral. I am apathetic," she corrected him.

He shrugged and unloaded his equipment.

"Oh well, here goes," she rang the doorbell.

The door opened, but it wasn't a young man who had opened it, but a woman of about fifty. "Oh hello, you must be Miss Lennekeur. Pleased to meet you, I am Florian's mother. Florian! Your guest is here."

"Oh hi Mrs Giovinco."

Florian Giovinco appeared. "Hi, I am Florian."

"Lena."

"Marco."

They shook hands as his mother excused herself.

"Take a seat," he said.

She scrutinized him properly. He looked like your average university student. Looking at him dressed in a simple white T-shirt and Jeans, you wouldn't have known that he was Florian Giovinco, attracting interest from all the big clubs of Europe.

After they were properly seated, she told him about the purpose of the interview again. It was part of a series on young Venprekers who have made their mark in their respective fields, their inspirations and their aspirations.

**

"Florian, you are a free-thinker."

He nodded.

"But before every game, you make a cross with your left hand, ending it with a kiss on your left ring finger. Can you tell us more about this practice?"

He looked away for a while. "Come with me."

**

"So before the game, you close your eyes, make the sign of a cross like this, then clasp your hands tightly together and pray to God."

"You know, if everyone does that and it works, won't every single game end in a draw?"

-

"Hey I didn't say that, Cryuff said that. Just quoting him."

"Just do as I say, ok?"

**

"It didn't work."

"I am sorry."

"I am not saying it's your fault or what."

**

"I never did it again until one day, I saw her come here, and she knelt by herself there, in prayer."

"Uh huh."

"We won the game on the following day."

"So…"

"It was also the last time she prayed for us. For me. She passed away after that."

"I am sorry to hear that…"

"So I am doing it for her."