‘Record Rainfall’

OVERCAST SKY: Darkness at Dawn

Many may rejoice at Mumbai’s 'record rainfall' in 63 years. But for us, this is getting far too much. Waking up early morning to the pitter-patter of rain can be fine one day. On the second day, it would be tolerable. Third day, you’d perhaps grin and bear it. But for five days at a stretch, beginning Monday, and the rains still showing no sign of abating… We surely need a break!
Today, we had to change location midway through the exercises when the heavens opened up. We rushed into the already damp and dripping bamboo shed, only to be greeted by a big, black bandicoot with shiny beady eyes.

The dead rat

Soaked to the skin, the poor thing had crawled out of the rainwater drain below and was slowly making its way to the door of the Swasthya Kendra. We could see it was in pain.

TIME TO DISPERSE: End of another wet day

Somebody must have advised it that medical help would be available there. But the place was shut.
Most of us pretended the creature did not exist and we continued to exercise. But Geeta Sardana, with her ‘krishna consciousness’ kept peering at it, wrinkling her nose. Santosh Tyagi and Harbans Kaur looked the other way. The rodent was still struggling on the slippery doorstep. Sunita Jajodia walked away and waited for it to die. Ruksana Khan laughed out loud. Bhaswati Bose came and dutifully squeaked in horror. Monthi Serrao jumped on seeing a “jaanwar” where her umbrella was supposed to be. On its last throes of death, the rat was providing us entertainment. Such is the irony of life. And when it lay still, finally dead, we were all relieved. R.I.P.
Meanwhile, Shekhwat threw the baby with the bathwater by letting Yusuf Rassiwala know that we were planning a present for him on his Eid party this Sunday (yesterday’s post). At first he told Yusuf to take a walk around the Garden, then requested him to visit the loo (with Ram Shankar Shukla of all the people) so that he could “discuss something” with the others. That was enough for Yusuf to smell a rat – bigger than the one that lay dead a few feet away. “Sheku,” he thundered. “I will not accept any gift-wift. Meri marzi!”
Shekhawat tried to explain but all his pleadings fell into deaf ears.