On a Rainy Sunday

The day started late with me waking around 08:30. When my mind came into senses the first thing I looked around was for the mosquitoes inside my net. These days this has been a routine. To fight back against the commando mosquitoes who sneak into the net during the course of night. Today was better as there was only one which was too careless to move even when it saw my hand coming towards it. 

May be it would have over worked and filled its belly than the normal dose of blood. Straight from bed to kitchen where the mirror smiles at me. Rain which started from Friday night was still pouring. I kept the kettle on the stove for my morning black coffee. After brushing teethes were shining as in the advt. I add a half spoon of coffee powder to the boiling water and few spoons of sugar make my coffee the best in planet earth.

I sip the coffee reading the news paper. After a quick round I finish off my coffee and rush towards the shower because time is 09:00 and I am already late for office. I finish off my shower and start by 09:30. Experience I gained from last few days had taught me what to wear and how to ride the bike on a rainy day. 

I took the blue rain coat laying on the dark corner of the hall untouched my any one in my room. The old tracks were of great use. I kept my Jean and T-shirt inside my bag. With helmet the makeup was complete. It was drizzling and the drops kept my glasses always covered to ensure that my visibility was less than 70%. I drove all the 20 km to office in 40 mins. At office a quick change of dress and the corporate guy in me was born. Been a Sunday the work load was less and thus the rain seemed more beautiful.  Around 04:00 I finished my Tea and started from office with the change of dress from the corporate back to a rain driver.

But this time it was not just a drizzle but it was raining. My visibility was less than 40%. But the good part was glasses were always kept clean by the continuous downpour. The 20km back home took nearly an hour.  My speedometer needle was ranging between 35-40 Km/hr.  Rain gave my bike continuous free water service. I was wet from head to toe expect the bag which was hidden inside the rain coat. Been wet, brought insane ideas in me to which I surrendered at last. I decided to go to beach. I kept my bag in my home and drove towards the beach imagining a bare beach with rain beating hard against the raising sea tides. But I was flabbergasted to see a flock of insane fellow humans on beach. 

A couple was sitting on the cement embankment without even a rain coat. They were enjoying the warmth of love been wet. Few guys were playing cricket. Few even dared to have a bath in the roaring sea. The sea had swallowed a part of beach were we used to play football on Sunday mornings. I couldn’t see more than 10 meters into sea. The rain drew a curtain of mystery on the sea. Even with the rain the business was spurring on beach with hot items calling the wet customers. I had a 50 rupee and a 5 rupee note folded in a plastic cover kept in my pocket. But I had no intention to mix the food with water as I was without a shade and the downpour hardened. There were cars parked on the road adjacent to the beach. People were peacefully enjoying the dark clouds. 

I decided to take a walk on beach. After the refreshing wet walk I joined the couple and sat with them enjoying the rain. Time was 06:30 by now. I kissed the sea and waved a signoff. On the way back home I had a hot tea and my 5 rupee was exchanged for that. Back home I had a quick shower and then into warm clothes as half of my body was still numb. The rainy Sunday could have been better. What a day was it? 

A Day at home

I started writing this page sitting in my front porch. I have my black wagon R on my right hand side and the pink sym – the moped on my left. Don’t get confused. I am sitting in a corner. The climate today has been pleasing. It’s neither hot nor raining, it neither humid nor dry. It’s a perfect November morning. I woke around 7.00 am. After five days at home I was felling dry with the thought that I was flying to Chennai today. It sucked my happiness at least for few seconds. Life at home was, is and would be the best whichever part of world u fly. As always home is sweetest. 

With all these thoughts in my head I woke from my bed. As always the birds had woke before me. They were busy with the chirpings which rose and fell like a chorus practicing. There were few notes that grabbed my immediate attention. The chorus had not only birds but squirrels too. They all were located at different parts of the Mango tree that stood in my backyard, a few meters away from my Window. The sun had its rays touch everything adding an extra dimension to their beauty. I woke with my arms stretched. My spectacles were kept on the table. I took them and climbed down from the first floor to the main hall through the connecting stair. 

My day had begun. As it was a working day Mother was busy at Kitchen. Dad was reading the news paper which was full of Obama as his foreign trip to India had concluded. News paper and the TV and had their chunk of flesh and rejoiced the Presidential visit. 

Our cat – Kitty was roaming around the room and was playing with a small green ball running across the breadth and width of the room. I brushed my teeth and started with my first tea of the day.

After the daily routine I planned to seek the blessings from god. To spent some time with my creator. I wore a dhoti with red lining and a shirt matching to it. The time was 8.30 am. By cousin would be starting to the school which is few meters away from the temple that I would be going. I picked him and dropped at his school. The view of the school brought back the memories of my school days.

My school was only 3 km away from home. To be more precise my parents decided to settle down near to the school. Though the distance seemed less I still used to travel by school bus. The days when the school used to start at 8.30 which were later changed to 7.30 to ease the traffic. The radio kept at home used to be my navigator. 

It ensured that I always followed time and never missed my school bus. My count of friends in my locality was limited but I had some real good friends in my school. School life was one dimensional. It was all about studying and scoring marks. I still remember the wait for the playing time period. In my time table I used to mark them bolder to ensure that I don’t miss them. Though I was never a champion in any sports you pick I had a larger heart and high level of energy to be part of it. But football had a special place in my heart. The time when the excitement was at its pinnacle was during the opening and closing of the summer vacation. 


At the closing time mind was full of ideas of how to get out the maximum of the time I spent. I learned time management from those days. The day started early and ended late. Life was busting with energy. I traveled to far places and stayed with my relatives for a small span of time. That was really refreshing. By the time the countdown for the school opening starts rain would arrive. This would give some days for rest as play was restricted inside home. Now again the excitement level peaks as with the covering of books, buying new bags, water bottles, boxes and a lot more. I used to paste the best label on the text which I loved the most. Science used to get the best label always. The excitement dies out some time after school opening. Soon life is mouse and cat race with exams and marks.

I press the quick start button and the engine comes to power. I drove from the school to temple. The temple was not crowded as it was a regular working day.  The temple is located in the centre of the ground which used to be the venue where the temple festivals would be conducted. It would be attended would by thousands and is a display of the culture and heritage of the region. That’s a festival that needs to be experienced once in life time.  I drove back after my prayers. I had my breakfast ready on the table. I switch on the TV and ate my breakfast watching it. Finishing my breakfast I sat over the sofa idle for few minutes surfing through the channels. Kitty my cat had taken the pleasure of sleeping over my tummy. I laid there for few minutes without disturbing her. Around afternoon I felt the pain with the thought of leaving to Chennai on evening. I stitched a web of positive scenarios to create the a better feeling. But it was worth of it as I got some relief. I had my tea and by the rain had started pouring.

I love when it rains. Rain has the power of invoking emotions. It makes the atmosphere wet. The wetness has the beauty that is so unique. Rain brings in new energy to the planet. The smell of soil on the first rain is something to cherish for a life time. Both flora and fauna respond to the natures call in their own way. The cry, sprout and every where the positive vibe is felt. I love rain for its mystery. A mystery that I love. I miss my loved ones. Rain always brings the memories of the left over days. The days when I used to go in a cycle to my kinder garden classes, the days at school when it rained, at college where the first romance sprouted and a lot more. Rain brings hope for me. It gives me memories that I have left in the race that I am part of.

Now it’s time for my train. I start after having a cup of tea. Mother packs the food for me which I would be having after some time getting into the train. Dad accompanies me to the station. I meet an old friend of mine at station. He couldn’t recognize me. I spell my name and his memory gets connected with my profile. We have a quick exchange of greetings and end up with a promise to meet sooner. 

I board my train. In my cabin I meet a couple, a young girl and two guy’s one aged around 60 and the other around 40. I exchange a pleasant smile with all and slowly pick a conversation with the couple. Soon all becomes part of the talk. We have subjects varying from climate at Chennai to Obama’s visit. The guy around 60, curses the politicians for the prime reason for the country’s so called under developed status. I defend him with my incorrigible optimism that change is on the way and our country is goanna be super power within the next 20 years. May be this could be the reason that President Obama told the world that India is going to become a super power with half of its population below 30. He would have calculated the power of youth in delivering things and in their power of dreams which could convert any nation to a super power. I still have that faith in me and my nation.

After the brief talk I got to the upper berth and finish the delicious home packed food. I rearrange the bags for me to sleep. Tomorrow when sun raises in East I would be in Chennai ready for the fast paced race. 

When I thought 19th was 18th

I was excited about going for the session. I had planned this before a long time. I payed my registry fee of 100 rupees and waited for the day with Hands folded. I charged the batteries for my Camera as a cam without batteries would be the last thing expected for such a session. On the morning for session I woke around 6:00 am. The sky was not as cloudy as it used to be. The birds were singing their chorus. I woke with the excitement in my heart. 

The energy was pumping in. I selected my dress, pressed it and kept it ready. Now I had to take a quick shower and get ready. As I stay at Thiruvanmayur I have to travel almost an hour to reach Nungambakkam. So I was planning to start around 7:00 which would give me ample time for having breakfast too. The shower refreshed me and the pressed clothes made me feel good. I collected the batteries from the charger. I took my camera. Kept everything in my bag. Before starting I went through the printout of the email that I had taken. Everything was fine. I had a pulse to check the date in my watch and it showed 19^th. But the mail showed 18^th.I couldn’t believe what had happened. But the truth was I had missed the first photography session scheduled for 18^th Saturday. There was no point in regretting. But still the mistake haunted me. The freak accident left me in blues with a full Sunday to unfold.

Moral: Always check the day not just the date.