Flash Post 127!

“Button, the rain gods have laid siege on this city!”

“I can see that.”

“You must have also noticed that since Wednesday evening it’s been raining non-stop bringing the city that never takes a break even for a fraction of a second to a complete halt. The train tracks were full of water today as a result of which all trains stopped plying. Buses, cabs and private cars are few and far between. Did you notice how, just a few moments back, the natural light dimmed so it was almost pitch black! And, that too, at around noon! When the weather experts talked of an El Niño situation getting repeated this year too, do you think the rain gods smirked and had a good laugh amongst themselves and completely twisted the weather pattern around so it would have no resemblance to the El Niño factor?”

“Did it rain even once like this last year?”

“Can’t recall but Mumbai never hesitates to fascinate me!”

“Why?”

“Despite the torrential rains, my girls have gone to Delhi for a crucial meeting and Dost is getting ready to leave for his meetings. Amidst all this, have you noticed how the crow in our garden continues to sit in her nest, drenched to the bone and yet, not move to a drier place? I’ve not seen her eat! What she does from time to time is get out of the nest, shake herself to shrug off the water and go back in there again.”

“Do crows catch pneumonia? Do you think she’s laid eggs which is why she is guarding her home so ferociously? See, that’s her partner who has just brought her some food!”

“Possible. Though I can’t say I’m a hundred percent sure. I am also at my wits end as I am unable to figure a way to save their nest from getting wet further. Either she’s around or her partner. They don’t leave the nest un-crowed (unmanned) even for a moment. Remember the post where I had written about the Good Samaritan who fixed an umbrella over a crow’s nest when the BMC hacked some trees in Dadar exposing the nest to the approaching rains?”

“I remember vividly.”

“I had wanted to do something similar for these crows but have not been able to find a time slot when neither are around so I can climb up there to fix the umbrella. They refuse to let anyone go close to the nest! They pecked our mali on his bald pate badly a few days back and also pecked the maid on her arm!”

“Can crows be nasty when they choose?”

“Any species for that matter turn ferocious when their young are attacked. This must be the norm amongst bears as well!”