The incontinent clouds

It rained earlier and much more than expected, bringing relief from the sun that basically has the hots for Mumbai. During the first few drizzles, romanticism was in the air. Chai dates pakoras. Life turns bearable again. For some days at least. Before the monsoon melodrama ultimately takes over and the following takes form: trains delay, roads clogged with water from the nearby gutter, traffic stagnates, the working class gets drenched, crib and reach office late, roof leaks, little kids fall ill leaving no clue why, couples rain-walking and then reach home shivering, the faceless BMC custodians caught napping as usual, walls create flaky art, filthy spots become filthier spots, football returns to the park, cricket sulks, rainwater fulfills potholes, the stench of damp clothes, sunlight-deprived underwears dying to be dry, people disappearing into manholes, lightning strikes (misses most of the time), cheap Alphonso mangoes, students bag holiday provided their schools reopened on time, photographers delight…