Heat

I recently saw an ad where a kid buys Glucon D or something like that and then hits the sum for six. I really wish that I was that kid…

I know that I have no right to crib about the heat. After all there are so many worse things that can happen to you, (like being born and brought up in Chennai). But the weather is really destroying my vacation. I have a friend who has begun to carry 2 extra shirts with him when he goes out for a movie or dinner. I recently heard my sister decline a shopping trip because it was too hot. Speaking of shopping has anyone ever walked into these hep stores recently? I saw a section called spring-summer wear. And in the past I have seen fall and winter wear too. I did know that when people hallucinate they all see the same dream. Maybe it is just me but as far as I know Bombay has only two seasons summer and monsoon and in case you didn’t know, the only difference between the both is that one of them is hot and wet and the other one is hot and dry. Come to think of it people selling umbrellas must really be making a killing in this city…

Heat in the morning is understandable, heat in the afternoon is expected, heat in the evening is an unpleasant surprise but it is unfair that the nights too have become swelteringly hot. Playing football at 9 in the morning is almost impossible. I wonder how it must be for people who travel to work by train, imagine having a good bath only to enter your office drenched with sweat ( well that usually happens but now things must only be worse ). I have large windows at home and I still need to keep the fan on even at 10 o clock in the night. No one worries that their dinner is going cold. In May a heat wave that swept the nation killed over 106 people. That puts things into perspective.

But luckily for us there are few things which are still making life bearable. Bachelors (a restaurant) used to be one of them, but now looking at the prices on their menu card will kill you (if the heat doesn’t get you first). The max Orange stick I spoke about earlier is another one. But items covered in plastic wrapping are not always the solution; in fact in this case a trip to your Bhaji walla will actually be more fruitful than a trip to Prabhat Provisions.

Most fruits are a real blessing. Litchis are my favorite. At 30 bucks a dozen you make think that litchis are little too expensive, but believe me there are few things in life which taste better than cold Litchis. Mangoes and Watermelon is great too. My mom spoils me with Narayal Pani everyday as well; But eating a little cut fruits is always great. If you are as cheap as me then go to the nearest CCD with three friends, order a cookie and ask for three cold glasses of water. Then flick their ice in tissue papers (Warning: This may draw disgusted looks from people around you).Any good Punjabi restaurant will offer you the best Lassi.

Life indeed must go on regardless of the temperature. And if you are in Bombay life doesn’t just go on, someone is going to make some money out of the summer. And that is exactly what is happening, whether it is international brands selling “spring-summer “clothing or the guy at the signal selling you a hand fan. And I’m sure someone is accepting a lot of bribes in the MET office because my father just told me that it is an international law that if temperatures go above 50 degrees then a holiday must be declared.