The value of some revered spirits (the alcoholic variety) grow exponentially with time. But sometimes, patience is more than just a virtue, it is self-inflicted torture. Just as all eyes, tongues and analysis are centred on Sachin Tendulkar’s magnum opus, one’s mind must think back to all times that this wait could have ended. For when a triple figure is a run or two away, a lot of things seemingly change. The audience doesn’t leave their seats. People who didn’t know a match was on suddenly put life on hold for the century to materialise. The commentary gets focussed. Suddenly, a landmark, a career revival or a stamp of authority is waiting to be written. When it doesn’t occur, all hell breaks loose. At the drop of a hat, the match is junked and everyone returns to find succour in their humdrum existence, where heartbreak can be kept at a safe distance. Crowds are stunned into abject disbelief. Television sets go from being the harbingers of hope to being what th...