When the rains came

The weather has been amazing in namma Bangaluru. People often say the monsoon gives respite from the sweltering heat but the heat was shortlived this year and we actually did not get much opportunity to chide the summer. It is very pleasant to walk down the promanade to the pick-up point every morning that you will always notice a spring in my steps, a cavort(ing) gait and eyes wandering to take in everything that the morning has to offer.

It rained yesterday and it took me to the days of yonder when I used to look through the window on some rainy days and sing my heart out. The window was behind the sofa. I used to kneel on it backwards and hold the window grill and peer through it. Ah childhood!

I admired the mangoes, promising life and how the water droplets would slide through the skin and fall from the tip. The yellow orchids clung to a branch of the mango and bloomed to glory. Beside the mango tree were the hydrengias, the roses, the lilies, the nine-o-clock flowers, the bottle brush and many more. Cousin and I would run in the rain and play in the mud skating bare foot, skidding, falling, getting up, skidding, falling, getting up until grandma would scold us and say that she wants our mothers to stop working and control us. We would jump and pluck a bottle brush flower, run inside, tap the flower on our palms and lick the nectar. What must have been our aspirations or struggles in those days? Maybe, just do homework and get promoted to the next class.

It rained yesterday and I wanted to sing out loud and be that child once more. Presence of the brother-in-law stopped me.

I see myself being moulded to the role of a provider from being the provided. Took the brother-in-law shopping and made him buy whatever he wanted for passing out of the Academy. I enjoyed the experience of caring for someone younger than me, of being responsible for him. Led the mom-in-law to places she wanted to go in Bangalore. Her child-like enthusiasm reflected on her face as she explored the unventured places. On the other hand, sis told me that mom was complaining that I hadn’t called her last week.

I caught up with Lin and Ju, my childhood friends over the chat. We used to read Archies tucked inside text books, Photo Romance tucked inside the Atlas map book, talk boys, share lunch, play together and compare marks as to who got how much and who topped the class. The comforts of childhood and endearments still very much intact, we chatted about our married lives, plans of having a child, responsibilities and mother-in-laws and wondered, when did we all grow up so much?