Three Mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat

'Yes, no pressure,' Fred said, turning over both his palms. We explained the
offer in simple terms to Ali while a waiter cleared our plates.
'So, Ah ... what do you want?' Ish said.
'If I make it to the team, who will I play for?' Ah said.
Australia,' Mr Cutler said.
'But I'm an Indian,' Ali said.
'But you can become an Australian as well. We are a multicultural society,' Mr
Greener said. 'No,' Ali said.
'What?'
'I am an Indian. I want to play for India. Not for anyone
else.'
'But son, we will give you the same respect as your own country, And some
good coaching,' Mr Greener said.
'I have a good coach,' Ali said and looked at Ish. Ish beamed at his proudest
moment ever.
'It will be tough to make it in your country. Your coach knows that,' Mr Cutler
said.
Ali spoke slowly after a pause.
'It's ok if I don't become a player, but it's not ok if I am not an Indian,' Ali said.
Maybe he never meant it to be profound, but that was his deepest statement yet.
'But,' Mr Cutler said. He leaned forward and put his hand on Ali's shoulder.
Ali slid next to Ish and hid against him.
The officials tried for another half an hour. They asked if we could speak to
Ali's parents, but realised this wasn't going to work after all. I maintained the
polite conversation.
'We are sorry. We do realise that this is a big, big honour,' I said, 'sorry Fred.
What you have done for us is huge.'
'No worries mate. Your kid is good and he knows it. If you can make a billion
people proud, why bother with us down under?' Fred said and laughed. He didn't
show if he was upset. Sportsman spirit, I guess.
We saw the officials off to their car.
'Never mind mate. Maybe next time, next life in this case. You could be
Australian, who knows?' Mr Greener said as he slid into the driving seat of his
silver Honda Accord.
'I don't want to,' Ali said, his face emerging from hiding behind Ish.
'What?'
'I don't want to be Australian in my next life. Even if I have a hundred next
lives, I want to be Indian in all of them,' Ali said.
A plane flew above us. I looked up in the sky. I was glad I was going home
tonight.