There. It has started collecting at the side of the roads. Secretly like rebels before an insurrection. What nonsense is this. Erom brishti. My perceptions getting blurred. I feel like sardar don Quixote. Very soon, if the water don’t recede and the rain don’t stop, im going to charge at these puddles and kick the water about. They’ll set the dogs on me after that.
To think the weather report is the dull last few seconds of tv news, the insignificant bottom left margin. No ya, to me its very important. Kothay bhaabhchhilam ektu khela dhulo-ghora ghuri kori.
But no. the weather always behaves like a coin flipped by the wind that has landed on its heavier side.
Pure plan pe paani pher diya.
oh you need to hear this. From khushwant singh’s joke book.
A sardar kid was asked to translate the following from hindi to English---“kiye karaye par pani pher diya” which is roughly, “ruining almost certain plans”
But the enfant terrible of grammar goes----
“after urinating he flushed the pot”

Epilogue-----

on Monday, arunabha, arko and I went to athee’s to play cards. It was raining but the waters were still humbly rolling at our knees. Carefree and confident we lightstepped to lake gardens. No sooner were we inside and dry than the skies opened up with their true intention. All it demanded was appease appease appease. Slay a lamb and make a tribute of a nubile virgin of the forest with uncut hair. Srinanda and tinie were the other faithful foolhardy compadres of us wastrels. The rains kept falling in a wanton frenzy of rancour. Daggers drawn. When to leave we waded it was at considerable cost. Arko lost his phone. Sunk and lost. I lost mine. Sunk therefore useless. Arunabha too. But his tragedy far exceeds ours. His was a wonder phone. Hence sturdy too, it survived albeit with scars.
Next year
or when its rains next
I’ll be prepared
and not vexed

--------from the prayer book of Athena Sofia, the queen of the islet