Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Radio Plays all these Songs About Rain


Here comes the sun, fighting for himself, for his very presence there. Like in a street fight that does not include the prima donna, he isn't welcome today. He has a right to, I suppose. But come another day, not this glorious, sepia morning that has decided to be beautiful without you adorned brightly on its wet cheek. Today is not your turn.

Today, the ground is waiting to get a chance to breath. To breath and sing of perfumed earthy aromas and green leaves and summer springs. The earth chooses to be grey. Up above, it spreads, that grey, trying to turn black, hoping to look menacing. Tall trees would bend and stretch, hoping to hasten the process.

The old man with a umbrella clutched in one hand and a grandchild clinging to the other hurries a step. But he can go only so fast with that bad leg. In a glass-walled office somewhere, a smart woman, who might have been a prima donna (with the attitude at least) would be stuffing her phone(s) and folders into a boring black leather work bag and hurrying to the basement to retrieve her car before it, the basement, floods. Many people in many situations would be doing many things to hurry home.

Maybe, hopefully, someone would also be looking up at the blackening greys above and smiling, hoping to catch first the first few drops and then the lashing downpour onto their upturned, happy faces.

For a short while, a few silent minutes, there is a stillness. The streets are empty and forgotten is the sun. Nothing moves, not even the trees. You imagine even the streams running over smooth round pebbles in that distant forest to be awaiting with bated breathe. That maverick, waiting somewhere with an upturned face, would slowly spread both arms out in a wide hug.

It is the welcome that crashes the stillness. There used to be the sun. But now, with a crack of thunder announcing the royalty in the house, it starts to rain.

The newspapers call up the Met office to hear of the heavy downpour and that it is likely to continue the next few days. And the radio plays the song of the Avril showers today.

2 comments:

Captain Nemo said...

Hmmm... I totally dislike that 'Carpenters' hit 'Rainy days & Mondays' because I love rains and I love Mondays. Mondays are my favorite days to quit jobs. 3 so far.
Nice, enjoy the Avril showers while it lasts. I'd have loved to curl up with a nice book and hot coffee when it rains outside. OR do my regular biking in the rain. I just hope I get some time during the monsoon to indulge.

Deepa Bhasthi said...

you like Mondays!!!? Wow! I hate it, even if I think I quit on a Monday too. And even if what day it is doesn't matter to me anymore.

Yes, book and coffee is the perennial favourite during rains. That was what I did almost every rainy day in Madikeri in all the years I was growing up.

Riding/driving in rain is fantastic as well. Try doing the Kerala to Karwar/Goa coastal route in the monsoon, heard its awesome.