Tag: dailyprompt

Take a breather. Enjoy the rain!

What notable things happened today?

It’s basically too hot to go out during summer in India.

The month of May gets too hot, especially.

The temperature touches between 42 degrees and 45 degrees and the sun beats down on you mercilessly.

But a breather comes in the form of rain. Unusual on a summer day but refreshing to feel the chill in the air for a brief time, thanks to the neighbouring state of Kerala, which normally receives rainfall during May and June. Every year.

I was out doing my routine walking in the evening. And it rained all of a sudden.

You have nowhere to go, run and take shelter. Staying under a tree isn’t an option, as it’s too risky to stand under a tree when it rains accompanied by a thunderstorm.

On seeing the first drop of rain on the first day this year, why should one run so scared? I just continued walking and got completely drenched. 

Wow! What a feeling! 

By the time I reached home, the rain picked up momentum. It is pouring down now in Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.

Getting the rain on a summer month and enjoying walking completely soaked rank today as the most notable moments. 

Thank nature. Thank heavens.

 

Can’t live without one. Twice a week, at least. Cheers!

What’s the one luxury you can’t live without?

Take a highball glass. Add sugar, mint leaves and a splash of club soda.

Smash and mix them enough so that the flavour of the mint is released.

Cut a lime and squeeze both the halves into the mix. Drop one squeezed half into the glass for the luxury.

Add rum (white is preferable) and stir well.

Fill the glass with ice cubes and top with club soda.

Garnish with a mint sprig. Enjoy.

No fear, anymore!

What fears have you overcome and how?

Traffic in India is chaotic. There’s plenty to negotiate on the road. Incidents regularly happen as motorists don’t usually follow traffic rules. 

Pedestrians crossing the road at will, cars changing lanes without a warning, motorcycles jumping lights at junctions and the police turning a blind eye to blatant violation of those laws contribute just one thing.

A fear of roads. A fear of facing traffic. 

That instils a kind of fear in the minds of people who follow rules and abide by the law. 

What’s the option? How to respond to such fear of facing roadside violations?

I switched to traveling on public transport, such as bus, train and taxis. 

I’m so happy now finding a comfortable seat in the rear side of a bus or a train, listen to some good music and fall asleep. The taxis are much better with a brilliant air-conditioning.

I see no evil. I hear no noise on the road. 

No fear, anymore.

 

It was a jolly helluva days before the internet. How?

Do you remember life before the internet?

In the early 80s, there was no internet in Temple City, Madurai (Tamil Nadu, South of India). We studied in school. 

We cycled five to six kilometres – to and fro – to go to the university library. The only library available for us had a good collection of books, newspapers, journals and rich novels.

We used to go there at least twice or thrice a week and spend a lot of time looking for books. We sat there, read and spent time taking notes. 

Books of interest were loaned by the librarian on membership cards. Strictly three cards to a member.

Books were to be returned or renewed every two weeks. Or pay a penalty for default. 

If some books we found were gone, we would wait at the librarian’s desk like how herons wait to catch fish in ponds.

We grabbed books at the desk itself or else it was too difficult to find them on the shelves later. We shared those books among ourselves after reading. Those were the jolly helluva days.

And the Internet has arrived.

 

‘Old Spice’ for the Men of Adventure!

What personal belongings do you hold most dear?

There may not be countries for old men (as the famous Oscar-winning movie said) but there’s an Old Spice for everyone of them.

I might give my mint toothpaste a miss but I shall never miss emptying a bottle of Old Spice on me wherever I go.

Men of adventure love it. I hold the lotion amongst all the other belongings, one of my most favorite.