26th July 2005 - - part I

Its been five whole years, and yet when I think of it, it makes me smile for some strange reason. Almost everyone I know has a '26th July Story', I do too, and no, its not  something extraordinary.. Its something that happened to a lot of people, that walk back home.. For me, it is one of the awesomest, thrilling times I have ever had., simply because Im sure no other city other than Mumbai would have given me such an experience.... So what happened? Read on... :)
 

26th July 2005'.. 

Just after lunch break, it starts to rain. It isnt pouring, its drizzling steadily, fat drops of water... exactly how I like it. Its starting to get chilly, and my socks feel so warm in my brand new shoes. Its that shade of grey that I really really like outside, but unfortunately I have a book that I really really hate in front of me. Applied Physics - I. Nothing that can ACTUALLY BE applied in real life anyway. Looking up, I watch the teacher drone on about Gauss's Theorem and start to zone off. Mom calls and the vibration thats as good as a ringtone, brings me back to the present. I put it on silent and throw it into my bag. Turn back, bleary eyed, to "...the volume total of all sinks and sources, the volume integral of the divergence, is equal to the net flow across the volume's boundary ..."

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To Kill A Mockingbird.

So I have been off-blogging for quite some time now - various reasons, but mostly because  I  have no time and this book review has been pending for a couple of months. I started to write this when I finished reading the book just as Mumbai was biding a barely-concealed happy farewell to the summer. Reading books while on my way to work is fast becoming one of my favorite things! :) Its been a while since I read something that moved me - made me happy, amused, sad and angry - all within the confines of some odd 300 pages. And this one was, to say the very least - a brilliantly written, well deserving 1961 Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece - and it went right up my favorites list.

Conversations

"I want to get wet! I want to get wet!"

Then she giggles as I grab her hand and pull her into the rick. Comes close to me and nuzzles against my neck. Kisses me. Looks outside at the pouring rain again and starts grinning like a kid. Sticks her head outside the rickshaw as if there's something wondrous outside. Collects rainwater in her tiny hands and splashes water on me. The same kiddish playful smile writ large across her face. Then remembers that she's tired and settles back with her head on my shoulder, melting in my arms, letting me comfort her. 

Asks me what does that look on my face mean. It's a look of wonder and amazement, a look of "this woman swept her way into my life, captivated my heart, colonized my thoughts, how on earth did all these wonderful things happen to me", a look of trying to take in the pure joy of being there next to her and watching her smile and be happy and enjoy life. It's a look of "God, I love her so so much". And somewhere behind it is the permanent feeling of guilt and self-loathing for the tears I made her cry. I only smile. Pull her closer into my arms.

I love her so very much.

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"Come back inside, you will fall sick"

That half amused, half worried look on his face when he tries unsuccessfully to pull me back into the rick. Watching me with a look I cant decipher, maybe its wonder, maybe its amusement, maybe it is something else. Feels I am cold and pulls me into his strong arms, warming me in an instant, making me feel safe and protected in an instant. Removes the strands of my wet hair so gently as if I was made of porcelain, kisses me so soft and so tender like it was a fairytale. Feels the passion building up and pulls me closer by the waist, his warm hands branding my bare skin, every touch telling me I am only his. Kisses me the way a man is supposed to kiss his woman. Leaving me breathless, lost and unaware of anyone, anything but the touch of him, the smell of him, the feeling of his lips on mine. Wraps me in that big hug, and pulls me closer to his chest, so close that I can feel his heartbeat beating in sync with mine. Looking up back at him, and he still has that look, that one look I don't understand.. but it doesn't matter, because those dimples deepen and it fills me up with so much happiness, that I made him smile, I made him happy after a long day at work.

Smile at him and think, he is the reason why everything happened to me before. Everything was planned, orchestrated perfectly by someone, some entity, just so I could end up with him. And that is enough for me to kiss him back and lose myself to him. All over again.

I love him much more than I will ever be able to put in words.

~Annie.

P.S: There is no cure for hopeless romantics... Sigh.

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