I had heard so much about the rains that I figured it simply pours and pours day after day. That was more than ten years ago when I was, ahem, wet behind my ears! It took me only a couple of days to realize that the rainfall here doesn't amount to even half the average amount the monsoons bring to the parts of India where I grew up.
It rains, yes. But, not the monsoon downpour for days on. Over the nine months of the rains, we average about forty inches, which isn't all that bad. It is the near-constant grey sky and a threatening-to-rain condition that gets to people. "It rains all the time" is, therefore, more a psychological reaction than anything else.
Thus, I have not used that umbrella for years now. In fact, I wonder where it is!
On campus, too, when walking between the parking lot and the office building, I simply dart across in the rain. I might get a few sprinkles on me, but I see no hassle there. Even when walking over to my classes, if they are in buildings other than where my office is, I rush across in the rains. Of course, over the years, with the hair rapidly thinning out on my head, the raindrops feel like pebbles!
But, when the cold front comes in, as it did last week, fun it is not. I am then forced to wear a jacket. The icy cold winter rains, which will come in a few weeks, are a pain. When I wear a jacket, even after all these years, having that kind of an outerwear feels so alien.
The classroom that I have been assigned to teach in this term is probably the farthest from my office. It worked out well, even when the rains began. I quicken my pace as I rush between the buildings. But, the cold meant that I went to class with my jacket on.
"Cold for you, Sriram?" asked Z as our paths intersected on the way to the classroom. I suppose students might have noticed that I am rarely ever bundled up when on campus.
Perhaps I haven't really grown up yet, and don't want to grow up either; maybe wearing jackets and coats and hats are all symbols of a "responsible" grown-up behavior that I am trying to resist? After all, in most other aspects of my life I am a dull, boring old man, and there are very few opportunities in daily life when I can be a rebel, without a cause!
As a kid, I enjoyed walking around in the rain, and biking too. I loved wearing the cheap, plastic raincoats, too, which typically tore within a couple of days into the monsoon season.
A few years ago, when I was in India, it seemed like it might rain. And it did. I rushed up to the rooftop terrace and watched the rain come down. After a few minutes of idly watching, I stepped into the rains.
Feeling the drizzle fall on me when I was at Marina Beach while watching the waves was even better an experience. There was nothing to worry about in life. At least, for those few minutes.
1 comment:
Common Sriram; you have to dress like an Oxford Don. A proper waistcoat, jacket, tie, a top hat maybe. Golden watch in the pocket. Boots shined to perfection. Hankie in the pocket. At least for effect a golden pince nez. You have too look every inch a Professor. At least Photoshop such an image and publish in the next post :)
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