This topic has been done to death, I know. Every second person has something to say about monsoon. There are tons of anecdotes written, shared, published about the importance of rains in the life of a common man.Movies and novels all over the world depict this downpour as per the situation. Sometimes the downpour is taken as a backdrop for some spine-chilling murder scene and at other times it is switched to bring out the freshness of teenage romances.. And when it comes to me, my memories are rich in monsoon romances. :D
I stayed in Cochin for the past two years. The monsoon is usually harsh in these parts of India. The rain comes crashing down with such volume and speed that it is usually a matter of seconds before you are completely drenched.Umbrellas are useless; since you are usually wet by the time you open them. If by any stroke of luck you already have it open, the winds will blow it away anyway.
But i love every face of rain, and its mid June already. But the clouds were nowhere to be seen. And one evening, while i was busy doing nothing, it started raining.
The rains were here to stay ousting the scorching summer heat. The waspish humidity was finally replaced by a titillating chill in the atmosphere. I enjoyed looking at the trees swaying rhythmically as if to thank the showers for coming to their rescue. I hit my bed early, all tucked up to my blanket..
“Its amazing how u can speak right to my heart...
Without saying a word u can light up the dark.”
My phone rang. I cursed myself for not putting it in silent mode..i pulled the blanket over my ears. And it started ringing again..And finally it stopped, leaving me wide awake. I took my alarm to check the time. it was 6.10
It had rained heavily the whole night and it looked like the rains were not yet done. The drizzling continued presumptuously this morning too. Anyone would like this atmosphere… I just loved it. The only thing that made this wonderful feeling incomplete was my boyfriend’s absence, and i am locked in this wretched hostel room. The whole of Thursday I found myself beseeching him not to go to Chennai to meet his friends. but he kept insisting that he had to. and he can’t take me with him ,as it is a get-together of the so called bachelors...I felt like hell as he was going back US next Monday.. I finally had to give up and kept sulking all the while. Though the rains had somehow managed to cheer me up, the cool showers made me feel his absence and want him with me all the more. I was half awake, but it being a Saturday and there being no agenda in his absence, restrained myself from getting out of the bed. I closed my eyes and kept hugging the pillow thinking it was him and kept humming …
“You want love… We will make it …
Swim in a deep sea …of blankets…”
This sort of an eventuality was next to impossible for the next one year. but how my heart desired that it be true right now. I didn’t know what to feel like… feel sad because he wasn’t with me or feel happy because it felt like i was in his arms. My silent struggle of addressing this dilemma was broken by the resonating phone. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that i forgot to check my missed call list.“Who could it be now???” I wondered. I hate it when that damn thing rings and hate it even more when it disturbs my thoughts. I somehow got up to pick the phone, keeping one eye closed to avoid coming out of my romantic fantasy completely. The yellow screen was blinking and it was him.
I was just thinking about him,(though I do that all the time)and he called in this odd time. He was supposed to be sleeping like a log, from yesterday’s hangover. I was excited. At least I could talk to him. I took the derelict handset and stood in the window…moved the shutter and let the desiring chill take over me. The next moment I could feel goose bumps all over me. The phone continued to resonate. I finally took the call.
“Why do you take so much time to pick the phone “
“Uh … I was sleeping.. U know how deep i sleep” I said … thrusting my hand out of the window to feel the rain.
“The weather is beautiful here … and I miss you love … I told you not to go but you just don’t listen …Now I am all alone and forlorn here” I added trying my best to sound sad and lonely
He laughed. That’s precisely what I wanted to hear, his laughter. I loved him all the time but I loved him more when he laughed.. It was one of the myriad responses of him that I loved. “I want you to do something for me…” he said lovingly knowing that I could hardly refuse anything he said in this tone. “ I want you to go to the airport; my missed luggage has reached there. I am stuck here.wont be reaching there by tomorrow evening. So you go and get the things soon, else your chocolate is going to be in the form of syrup. U wants to have it that way???
“Hello mister” I said sounding a bit stern.. “I hope you are not nuts!!! “it’s raining heavily here and you want me to go out at this time..Excuse me??” the Excuse me part coming a bit loud and gruff. “So you won’t get it for me!!!” he said in a dull voice and with an intention to defeat me in the argument.” and i fell for it.. ….!!!...”gimmie 5 minutes .. i will get ready and will call you back,” and I hung up. I was still half asleep. but ran to the bathroom. I don’t know if I brushed with the toothpaste or the face wash..somehow i managed to get into my favourite blue jeans, and a white T. locked the room and got out.. oops!!! I forgot my jacket. Damn it.i cursed me for my hurry.It has stopped raining. Just a silent drizzle remained. In a hurry to get an auto before it starts raining again, i brushed my hair and put on the jack on my way to the gate.
I took my phone out, and called him.. he took for the second ring. “ you look like an angel” he said.. “What the heccckkkk !!!”..i looked around.. There he was …. standing outside the compound, beneath a tree, that barely protected him from the rain.. I said surprised and elated… “ You are such a … I’ll be there.” Then every moment without him seemed to be an eternity.. i ran to him..I was all baffled. He was smiling.. the way i loved..he was watching me climb down the steps, anticipating how happy I would be.. i was breathing heavily. Couldn’t say anything for a moment..i smiled. And he was looking with his mischievous eyes, a grin on his face...i caressed his hair..
“let’s go”, he said and put his hand round mine and smiled at me …“where???” I asked.. he blinked his eyes and said,”u gonna love there” I pinched his cheek.. We climbed to an auto.. and it has stopped raining. I continue on talking all the way, saying how happy i am to have him here today.he took me to fort cochin, to the beach.. i can’t belive he did it. I always wanted to go there with him.. its my favourite place. I have been here many times before..but today, it was different, the climate, him. Everything seemed to be so perfect..We took long walks down the beach and were so engrossed; it was hard to believe that it is real.. As the day progressed, it did nothing to break this beautiful dream. And just when I thought that it couldn't get better, it started pouring again.
We were drenched and ran for shelter towards a small sea side cafe. There, sitting by the huge glass windows, I saw the raindrops meet the sea. There was a huge white rain curtain by our side, hot coffee and tuna sandwich on the table and a perfect date in front.
I didn’t physically met him after that, its been two years since then. and I am waiting for him to come back. but I meet him during each monsoon, as the rains start and form a white curtain ,with his eyes looking into mine..
Another monsoon is on the door..
