what does the writer mean by But the game he is watching so intently is out of his reach ?
Answers
Answer: the game is out of his reach because it requires expensive gears. But Saheb is only a ragpicker so he can't buy those expensive gears.
The game in question is tennis, being played by two men at a club. Being ‘out of reach’ means that one is not able to get access to it. Here, the game is out of reach for Saheb, a ragpicker, in many different ways, in physical, economic and social terms.
To begin with, the club is ‘fenced’, meaning that it is not a public area that is open for everyone. There is a physical barrier between the game and the boy, which disappears temporarily when the gatekeeper lets him sneak in at times. However, on the whole, Saheb is outside the fence and the club, away from the game.
Economically speaking, Saheb does not have the funds to buy even the basic tennis equipment- a racquet and a ball. He does have someone’s discarded tennis shoes, but that is not enough to play tennis.
Finally, the social divide is too great to allow him onto the tennis courts. Even if he has the equipment, his shabby appearance will make the authorities turn him away from the club. He will not be allowed to play.
The writer has, in a few words, conveyed the complexity of a boy’s existence by simply stating that the game was ‘out of his reach’.