First rains

There's always something special about the first time it rains. After a hot, tiring and seemingly endless summer, the long-awaited clouds finally take over and eclipse the red hot sun. And then, finally, the heavens open. Standing with your arms wide open and getting drenched in these rains is truly an ethereal feeling.

I make it a point to be out in the open whenever the skies open up for the first time. I just love the rains and have ensured that I enjoy the first rains every year. First I just stand beneath the grey skies with arms open, later all of us friends get together and play a game of football. This the time when we actually get to slide around on the ground, in fact we celebrate each goal with a long slide on our chests. That is so much fun! In fact it is the fun we have during goal celebrations that encourages us to score more goals. And once we are done with playing, waht generally follows is a plate (or rather lots of plates) of steaming hot bhaji.

I guess this year was the first time that I was in Pune during the first rainfall. Life wasnt exactly great and I had been morose all day. But then it rained. And all the pain and all the darkness fell away from me. I felt fresh, invigorated and full of hope. I knew that everything would turn out to be fine, and that sitting inside and watching the others play was the last thing that I should be doing. So I got out of the building and opened my arms to welcome the rains. Never have I felt better.

Unfortunately I was in my trousers, so I decided against playing football. But first rains without hot bhajis just doesn't work. So me and my friends went out, still getting drenched, and had a couple of hot vada pavs. Never has a vada pav tasted better!

While walking back, I saw a lot of people standing close to each other under bus stands, protruding roofs and tin sheds. All of them trying to ensure that they don't get even a drop of rainwater on them. All of them were looking at us with contempt. I really pity those fools.