Thursday, September 29, 2005
Prayers answered.
16ْC. In Dallas. Well, what do you know, there must be a God after all. The sky is full of clouds. The sun is, well, not there. There’s a decided nip in the air. This morning, when I got out of the house to come to work, it was chilly outside. I was going to say cold, but realized that even my powers of exaggeration are limited. Inhabitants of the north, wipe that pitying look off your faces. If you lived in Texas, you too would be on your knees, thanking a multitude of benevolent Gods for a day like today.
On the commute, I dared to dream – is it time to bring out the “winter garments”? Time to put away the summer stuff, and bring on the jackets, baby! (note to the uninitiated: these “jackets” are made of the thinnest cotton, worn mostly to kid ourselves) Time to replace the sandals with 2 spaghetti straps with, er, sandals with pasta straps – oh, you harsh Texas winter, how I’ve missed you!
I LOVE winters. I hate the sun. As someone who spent most of my childhood & adulthood in the saunas of Madras, Delhi, Cuddalore & Trichy, I justifiably feel that I’ve had all the sun a person needs in one lifetime. Give me cloudy days. Air without a bite to it is no air at all. Life is better in the winter. You can walk all you want and not get exhausted. You don’t sweat. You can take piping hot showers. Savor your cuppa tea. Snuggle into your sheets. The pleasures are endless.
Because I’ve mostly lived in cities that can so easily pass for Turkish Baths, I’ve learnt to make the most of meager winters. In my two winters in Trichy, I believe I was the only one in college to not only own a sweater, but actually use it. Those were good days, for Madras doesn’t even give you that much of an excuse. Moving back to Delhi was terribly exciting. I actually needed a winter wardrobe! I’ve spent many a gleeful hour, shopping for cardigans and shawls and jackets and oh, a whole bunch of other stuff that would cause the average New Yorker to die of apoplexy brought on by excessive laughter.
Moving to Dallas presented yet another milestone. For the first time, I was going to be in a city where it snows! I know now why friends & colleagues were so amused by my gleeful winter shopping last year. Oh, yeah it snowed, alright. For about 4 hours, two days before Christmas. And that was it. But I nevertheless bought a pair of leather gloves in honor of the sparse white stuff that dotted roof tops for a day or two.
I now live right next to a mall and can buy all sorts of protective gear any time the fancy takes me. What do I do this winter? The mouth curves in a sly grin & the eyes gleam at the very thought. Mittens. Shoes, nay boots. Scarves. Skis? Perhaps for next winter...I have it on excellent authority that this global warming business is all hogwash.
I’ve some shopping to do. Before the sun comes out and melts my day dreams.
On the commute, I dared to dream – is it time to bring out the “winter garments”? Time to put away the summer stuff, and bring on the jackets, baby! (note to the uninitiated: these “jackets” are made of the thinnest cotton, worn mostly to kid ourselves) Time to replace the sandals with 2 spaghetti straps with, er, sandals with pasta straps – oh, you harsh Texas winter, how I’ve missed you!
I LOVE winters. I hate the sun. As someone who spent most of my childhood & adulthood in the saunas of Madras, Delhi, Cuddalore & Trichy, I justifiably feel that I’ve had all the sun a person needs in one lifetime. Give me cloudy days. Air without a bite to it is no air at all. Life is better in the winter. You can walk all you want and not get exhausted. You don’t sweat. You can take piping hot showers. Savor your cuppa tea. Snuggle into your sheets. The pleasures are endless.
Because I’ve mostly lived in cities that can so easily pass for Turkish Baths, I’ve learnt to make the most of meager winters. In my two winters in Trichy, I believe I was the only one in college to not only own a sweater, but actually use it. Those were good days, for Madras doesn’t even give you that much of an excuse. Moving back to Delhi was terribly exciting. I actually needed a winter wardrobe! I’ve spent many a gleeful hour, shopping for cardigans and shawls and jackets and oh, a whole bunch of other stuff that would cause the average New Yorker to die of apoplexy brought on by excessive laughter.
Moving to Dallas presented yet another milestone. For the first time, I was going to be in a city where it snows! I know now why friends & colleagues were so amused by my gleeful winter shopping last year. Oh, yeah it snowed, alright. For about 4 hours, two days before Christmas. And that was it. But I nevertheless bought a pair of leather gloves in honor of the sparse white stuff that dotted roof tops for a day or two.
I now live right next to a mall and can buy all sorts of protective gear any time the fancy takes me. What do I do this winter? The mouth curves in a sly grin & the eyes gleam at the very thought. Mittens. Shoes, nay boots. Scarves. Skis? Perhaps for next winter...I have it on excellent authority that this global warming business is all hogwash.
I’ve some shopping to do. Before the sun comes out and melts my day dreams.
