We had the first spell of rain, since the start of this fiery summer, today in this surrogate city of mine. The temperature has lowered quite a bit now, much to everyone’s respite. However, I secretly wished that the rains would'nt fall today. That way, ma would miss the windswept evenings of kolkata more, ensuring our visit to the city sooner. Well, the rains did come and the breeze made ripples in the lake, in the air, in the clouds, over my face, my hair. Everywhere. I watched the dark clouds from the corner of my eyes, moving leisurely, their dark bodies against the flashes of golden-silver-purple-pinks of lightning. The trees looked lost against the grim background of the day’s kalboisakhi, swaying without grace without manners with naked stems that looked like bare long endless legs. The winds moaned throwing themselves against the glass windows that rattled and stirred, being banged incessantly by fat drops of an unanticipated unwelcome downpour. The rain-washed pandemonium continued for over an hour, while I lay by my window, daydreaming about amateurish first showers and first kisses of dimpled hours of yester-year. Today, I send off the home delivery boy from a nearby restaurant without giving his due tip. He asked for a baksish but before I could fetch him a few chuttas, he wordlessly rattled off. And I am feeling guilty ever since. Wanted to call the restaurant and ask them to send the boy back. But felt silly at the end. :-(