Downhill the memory lane

                 "Is there anything else we need? I think we are done." Mom answered her own question.
                  " Chalo, let us take an auto" volunteered the bored-of-ladies-never-getting-down-with-shopping brother.
                  " I think we can walk down. We really don't have so much bags today" I said.
                  "Is it okay?" she asked bro.
                   " See the road is downhill. We won't get so tired. Besides where do we get to walk in such clear roads in city" I reasoned.
                   "Ok" he gave me an exasperated look.

                     The house is literally at the foot of a mountain. The road starts at the market and goes downhill to our house. The sides of the roads were once jungles housing every wild beast of the region. It has now given way to mellowed down greenery and houses in between the large stretches of palm trees. Nevertheless the trees and the green is denser in the monsoon. Of course the rich red road is now tar grey. Walking on the road, one can see the bright houses of the countryside, large pastures with grazing cattles, a small tributary of the river flowing in a canal, a stream that is live when the rains are in excess, small shops by the roadside with old folks sipping tea or drinking soda sitting on the bench outside.
                                             

                        The three of us walked down happily. Dark clouds gathered above us as the winds started planting sloppy kisses on our cheeks. The rustle of the leaves, roaring clouds, the flying of the blue sheets over the roof of the shops made a symphony to welcome the drizzles of rain. At first, it was gentle like an ardent lover slowly consuming with passion. We walked through the pleasant showers. Three people in two umbrellas. We were about to start our climbing down when the rains opposed our movements. It became difficult to march forward against the force of the rains. Besides, we were getting drenched. We found a small shop by the road which had a large tin roof which could shelter us for sometime. We stood there waiting for the rains to slow down. 

                         " I told you it was a bad idea. See now we have to wait here!" bro said.

                         " Yea, we should have taken the auto." Mom joined him.

                         " Haww when did you both say that! Anyway it's not to late. We can walk back to the market and get an auto." I replied

                         " No no, that much if we walk, we will reach home. Better we stay here."

                         "Ok.." I said.  No more suggestions! 

                          

                      We stood there watching the water reach our ankles. We watched the winds scurry the rains here and there and making criss cross patterns of showers. We observed the ripples created by the raindrops. We watched the people in the shop on the other side of the road. A woman cooking sambaar in the shop. A few people taking shelter in that shop. The auto streaming through the puddles like a steamer.  

                       "Look! look at the auto splashing water! Here's another one! See" Mom was exclaiming like a 5 year old.

                       The rain sort of calmed down and we started again. We descended a few steps downhill and the rains lashed out again.  This time more breezy. All we could see was the dairy where a couple of men sat with registers tallying the exchange. Logs of wood lay in the front yard of the dairy. 

                       "Mom, let's wait here" I called out.

                       "No!! Let's keep walking. We will reach and anyway we are drenched. Won't make a difference." 

                       " Arre!! What if we slip and what if the rains get heavier. Mom think!! There is no shelter all the way till home!" warned my brother, skeptical as usual.

                       "Nothing will happen. Let's just slip through fast." I volunteered. 

                        

                       We paced with little steps, splattering water like little kids, walking one behind the other making a train of those childhood days so that we don't slip. Hurrying like little chickens. A few bikers passed us, smiling. We didn't care! 

                       "You know this road was just mud when I was a kid. Green algae grew here during monsoon. We used to come back from school at this time. We used to sit on the road and just slip all the way down. This was our natural slide. Longer than any at your Water Kingdom!" 

                      " What?? Mom you sat on road and went home sliding!! What fun" I was really jealous! Whatte childhood :D 

                      " You see that stream there? I used to go there to play and bathe in the water. It is only there during heavy rains. Otherwise its just stones there." She seemed to be nostalgic..

                         We reached the last bend in the road that led to the house and also the steepest slope. We could hardly control our steps. IT was like our legs had a will of their own and we felt ourselves drift in the narrow rivulets flowing with the road.. What joy!

                         "Bachpan yaad agaya!!" Mom shrieked in excitement.

                         Best monsoon :)