Life does have its own ways of playing little jokes on us. So today, as I headed off to office, the day started off pleasantly enough - a few clouds dotting the sky, but otherwise nice and delightful. The clouds didn't bother me too much. Having been in Bangalore for the last 4 years, I like to think of Bangalore weather as an old acquaintance whom I understand well - mornings are pleasant, sometimes even sunny; late afternoons and evenings is when the downpour starts. Bangalore weather being such, I have never had problems riding my bike (read: Honda Activa) to office even during monsoons.
And so today, as usual, I put on my helmet, pulled out my bike, nodded my customary hello to the watchman at the apartment, and rode away. Like any other Bangalore morning, it was as pleasant as pleasant could be - the kind of weather that makes you want to go picnicing, the kind of weather that people would change jobs for, the kind of weather that.. oh ok, you get the drift.
About midway to the office as I stopped at one of the numerous traffic signals, I felt a little drop or two of water fall on my sleeve. I brushed them away, thinking it was dew drops from the trees. Little did I know of the downpour that was about to begin. And the downpour did begin soon enough - quickly followed by little puddles of muddy water on the road, large splashes of muddy water from vehicles all around, and mayhem in general.
As I reached office and parked my bike, I took stock of myself. Dripping and soaking wet, with a generous splash of mud on the right trouser leg and plenty of muddy spots on my otherwise spotless shirt - didn't exactly tally with the typical image of the young (ok, I exaggerate) consultant off to work, about to change the destiny of the corporate world (ok, I exaggerate again). With a theatrical sigh, I decided I was not presentable, messaged my boss updating her of the “unavoidable circumstances causing regretful delay”, and turned around.
Now another thing about Bangalore I fancy I understand well is the traffic; and traffic behaviour in Bangalore is well correlated with the occurrence of rains. So then, as predictably as the ending of a Bollywood movie, I got stuck in the traffic. Traffic plus rain - thats the best combo to drive someone really mad. Repeating to myself for the umpteenth time that patience is a virtue (I find it quite difficult to accept that at face value, you know), I trudged along with the traffic moving at nano-speeds.
Finally, after about 50 mins and 5 kms of the snail’s race, I reached home. As I hurried to find something dry to change into, I looked out of the window and it stuck me - it had stopped raining! And just like that, Bangalore returned to its oh-so-pleasant weather.
Life does have its own ways of playing little jokes on us. I am sure that whoever was up there controlling the rain-valves today had a good laugh at poor me. Well, as some bright soul said, if God is watching us the least we can do is keep him entertained!
And so today, as usual, I put on my helmet, pulled out my bike, nodded my customary hello to the watchman at the apartment, and rode away. Like any other Bangalore morning, it was as pleasant as pleasant could be - the kind of weather that makes you want to go picnicing, the kind of weather that people would change jobs for, the kind of weather that.. oh ok, you get the drift.
About midway to the office as I stopped at one of the numerous traffic signals, I felt a little drop or two of water fall on my sleeve. I brushed them away, thinking it was dew drops from the trees. Little did I know of the downpour that was about to begin. And the downpour did begin soon enough - quickly followed by little puddles of muddy water on the road, large splashes of muddy water from vehicles all around, and mayhem in general.
As I reached office and parked my bike, I took stock of myself. Dripping and soaking wet, with a generous splash of mud on the right trouser leg and plenty of muddy spots on my otherwise spotless shirt - didn't exactly tally with the typical image of the young (ok, I exaggerate) consultant off to work, about to change the destiny of the corporate world (ok, I exaggerate again). With a theatrical sigh, I decided I was not presentable, messaged my boss updating her of the “unavoidable circumstances causing regretful delay”, and turned around.
Now another thing about Bangalore I fancy I understand well is the traffic; and traffic behaviour in Bangalore is well correlated with the occurrence of rains. So then, as predictably as the ending of a Bollywood movie, I got stuck in the traffic. Traffic plus rain - thats the best combo to drive someone really mad. Repeating to myself for the umpteenth time that patience is a virtue (I find it quite difficult to accept that at face value, you know), I trudged along with the traffic moving at nano-speeds.
Finally, after about 50 mins and 5 kms of the snail’s race, I reached home. As I hurried to find something dry to change into, I looked out of the window and it stuck me - it had stopped raining! And just like that, Bangalore returned to its oh-so-pleasant weather.
Life does have its own ways of playing little jokes on us. I am sure that whoever was up there controlling the rain-valves today had a good laugh at poor me. Well, as some bright soul said, if God is watching us the least we can do is keep him entertained!
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