Saturday, October 27, 2007

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

- Have you ever seen the rain? by Creedence Clearwater Revival

I love the rains but for some mysterious reason, it rains almost everyday around 6 in the evening. And that is the exact time when I’m walking out of the office, on my way back home. I would enjoy it if I were walking in the rain for 10-15 minutes, or if it’s just a drizzle.

But when you get drenched to your undies while walking in the rain for an hour or so, it’s not funny. And once I get wet, I don’t stop or look for shelter for the entire 4 kms. I just take off my glasses, roll up my jeans a bit, and walk. The rains can go to hell.

I remember my schooldays. There’s this stage in every boy’s life when his mother sees him as the cutest kid in the whole wide world, and dresses him up accordingly. I had just started going to school on a bicycle and it was the rainy season. Mom had bought this bright red raincoat for me, one-piece and with a hood. When I saw it for the first time, I flatly refused to wear it. Mom and dad used all the tricks, and one day I found myself wearing that stupid sissy looking thing.

I thought I was being good, I thought I was being brave. But once I was outside the gate, away from my house and all that was familiar, all the embarrassment came back. I took off the raincoat, put it in my schoolbag, and rode in the rain, all the way to school. And I followed that same routine until I outgrew that bloody red raincoat, and dad bought me a new decent looking brown one.


Just the other day, we had this cubicle day in the office. As usual, everyone was over excited with the HR people leading the pack. I finished my work, had an early lunch and came back home. Whenever this cake-cutting, we-are-a-happy-family, birthday-ethnic day thing comes up, I disappear.

There was this company in south Delhi where I used to work around 2003-2004. It’s the only company where socials and fun events mean just one thing – a trip to the pub. The girls and/or the teetotalers were asked to go take a fucking hike if they made any noise. Miss that good ol’ spirit and honesty these days.

9 comments:

SwB said...

long time... how u doin bro? Great pics btw.

Layon said...

Hey,my story regarding raincoat is exactly the same ;)

This evening rain in Bangalore has become a pain...every evening I think " Had I own a car "

Alapana said...

Ever since i shifted to this city the only question i have is why only in the evening??? Its been six months and i am yet to see it raining in the morning,i wish i can see one morning rain so that i can bunk the work and have a lazy day:)and daily at 6pm it starts raining,huh
How have you been,long long back i used to come here:)

shruti said...

very nicely written ... Iremember that being twins we were always made to wear the same clothes either identical or in different colour . Dad bought a lovely full length dress on our 16 th birhday .. one in blue and one in brown . Only one of us got to wear the same .

zypsy said...

am doing great swb. so u are having the TIME of your life in the alps:-)

layon: no car or bike for me until the roads improve in bangalore. if i had one, i would be stuck every day in the traffic jams!!!!!

alapana: howdy!!!! i remember you, it's been a long long time.

shruti: so you are the one in blue or brown? :-)

shruti said...

Ha ha ... sister got to wear 'The Dress "...the blue one ..we both liked that better neways ... happens a lot with kids..they tend to liek teh same stuff..poor parents .
I remeber after seeing pretty woman mom got 3 ( we have a littel sis ) same fabric and print but diff colour dresses made by our grandmother ( who btw was a 10 districts topper in sewing ) of the dress she wears to the horse show . We had felt so proud prancing in our similar outfits ..none wanted to give it up .he he ..

Michelle said...

haha...the raincoat thing was cute...rebel with a hidden cause types...lol i was the same...gosh sometimes, our parents really made us wear the most ridiculous things dint they?

Anonymous said...

hey dude..hows you? I got a shout from my boss cause I did not sing the 'happy birthday' song (or something like that) when it was my team member's birthday and somehow that signified that I did not care about my team. sheesh! I had just outgrown it and they didn't buy that. if you are honest people think you are rude or anti social or some such shit.

zypsy said...

yup, can't agree with you more. arrogant is how they usually describe me for not clapping, singing, or taking part in all these kinda stuff.

ash...you don't check your emails (the new email id of yours)!! :-))