Little Joys of Life | Flash Post 450

Surprise of surprises!

What surprise?

We had a clear day after almost 12 days of incessant rain, Button! The maximum rainfall this July ever!

Oh that! I actually grew accustomed of taking a bet with myself every morning about what the day would be like! Wet and gloomy or bright and cheerful. And I lost every morning because, much as I wished for a dry and sunny day, it would be dark, wet and dreary till only yesterday! I woke up grudgingly expecting the day to be a dampener once again but was surprised that even though it wasn’t sunny, it was pleasant and not raining.

That’s when we decided to go on that drive. It’s not like we couldn’t have gone for a drive in the rain but we’d miss our old bhelpuriwala and the sandwichwala at the street corner and things are never the same if we don’t come back home with the bhel, sandwiches and sev puris neatly wrapped up in paper. That with steaming hot tea is a treat like none other.

Which road did you take?

The Worli Bandra sea link and, because it wasn’t raining, we pulled back the rooftop surrendering ourselves to the cool breeze that was adamant on caressing our faces and playing truant with our hair and with my dupatta in particular!

That was naughty!

On our way back, I was reminiscing about the years gone by when I’d take the same road to go to a fish market in Worli opposite the Century Bazaar and buy fresh fish from a guy called Bishu. I’d haggle with him and after purchasing the choicest catch, return home with a spring in my step looking forward to that little outing with myself the following week.

You went alone every week to buy your stash which means going to Worli and purchasing the fish, fruits and vegetables must have taken a couple of hours at least! If not more.

That trip used to be charming and I’d let myself drift, dream, dig into my bag of childhood memories or simple gaze out of the window and watch the restlessness of the Arabian Sea trying to break borders again and again and again. By the time I returned, I’d be the happier for it and relate it all to the family over a meal of chingri malai curry and basmati rice. It’s been years since I stopped going to Bishu, the fish vendor. By then I had found Badruddin who’d deliver fresh catch to the house as often as I wanted. Did I miss not going to the Worli fish market? Of course I did because the hours I treasured on that lone drive had already been usurped by futile chores to fill up that time and I wasn’t happier for it! Badruddin has now been replaced by Local Market and Freshpick.

What does joy mean to you?

Lots of small things like stepping out onto the terrace every morning to greet my plants by their names and chatting them up. The fact that Mojo walks around the house by herself now because she’s lost some weight gives me joy. A different kind of birdcall to break the morning silence gets me interested enough to see if I can spot it. You know I like spending time with myself even if it means doing nothing. What makes you joyful, Button?

Going on long drives, listening to Mozart’s clarinet concerto, sitting in the terrace outside for long hours and watching the world slip by, eating churros—mind you, I can devour at least a dozen at a time all by myself, solving Sudoku puzzles and many more.

Finding joy is a very personal thing. Some people have everything they need and much more but are unable to find joy yet, the less privileged, are able to find joy in some form no matter how small.

Name one thing that gives you maximum joy.

One of them would be to free a hapless butterfly from the jaws of our brindle cat Messi and release it so it can fly away and live.

I find joy from anything well done—be it tending to my tiny herb garden in the terrace or making an excellent cup of tea for you and Dost.