Thursday, June 25, 2009

Umbrella wars

The messy monsoons are here in Mumbai (yeah I know we need rains, but it would be nice if they didn't mess the city). Fred Astaire made singing in the rain with an umbrella famous, but you surely can't try that in Mumbai. Walking with your umbrella held aloft would take the skill required by the Crazy Taxi in dodging other cars.

Your feet are sinking in muddy, messy water, you are trying to avoid puddles and there comes the competitive auntie with the huge umbrella. The competitive umbrella aunties are ones who think only they are in a hurry. They try to overtake you with as much vengeance as a motorbike rider who snakes his way through bumper to bumper traffic, unmindful of what happens to the rest of the world. This auntie will hit you with her elbow, her umbrella will get into your hair, she will jump into the puddle in her haste splashing water all over you.

The complete opposite of the competitive auntie is of course the I-am-out-for-a-stroll-in-the-rain aunty. This auntie will be walking to a tune of her own and most of these aunties are so bulky that they make it almost impossible to overtake them without stepping into some open gutter or some messy puddle. And while you try to do that, again your umbrella gets hit.

Then there is the corporate guy who has made getting his way a habit. So hitting your umbrella to retard your progress is something he enjoys. Pulling people down gives him a high. And one fails to understand why poking umbrellas in another's hair is such a fun pastime!

Then there are the kids who jump around and splash water everywhere. Even if you are wearing three fourth pants, they will get wet thanks to these I-so-love-the-muddy-water kids. And their partners in crime are motorists with expensive cars who love to speed over puddles and make your white office wear brown. Aargh!

I know you will all tell me that I should stop using umbrellas and try wind cheaters or raincoats. But what the hell, my head is so small that none of the hoods stay on it. I hate rains.

10 comments:

feddabonn said...

i'd laugh, if it weren't so painfully real! i've discovered knee length gumboots, and insist on wearing them everywhere outdoors-just leave them at the door when i go indoors. of course it helps that these are the national footwear. maybe you could start a trend?

Cilla said...

aah m thankful that I am not the only one neurotically upset by rains in a place like Mumbai :-)

[tRiaD] said...

Well done for pinpointing some of the myriad sources of rain-related irritation. But you missed out the Guide Aunty. Inspired by Dev Anand, Guide Aunty will stop in front of you in the pissing rain and turn around, "Beta Ramu... kidhar ho?!?" and try and locate her crew while you try and negotiate your way past her billowing upper arms that've been squeezed into tight-as-hell sleeves and look like obscene sausages.

Then there's the ol' coattail rider. In this case, umbrella tail rider. Jackasses who'll pull the back of your umbrella in a vain effort to cover their head and then glare at you if you turn around all WTF-ed out.

Follow up story for you! Find more such cartoons and for heaven's sake, don't throw booms at them. You should ask Sangle (BMC AMC) to provide you with some gumboots...

P.S. - Hooked on Crazy Taxi too, eh?

Cilla said...

he he [tRiaD]nice additions...havent met guide auntie so far...and no I have never played crazy taxi...just know about the game

Anonymous said...

lol but it isn't a joke, I can imagine the difficulties... Although I love the rains, specially for the respite from the heat!

Rains are a messy, muddy business!

sm said...

rainy season is one the things where you hate it and you can not survive without it.

AnjuGandhi said...

Hi came via IHM
after a long dry spell any discomfort is welcom
provided water problem is solved and rain Gods take mercy on us

Arun.N.M. said...

I love rains I love the sound of it and of course the smell of the first rain and like to watch it and love to sleep inside the blanket while it is raining heavily outside May be I love it because I need not have to walk in the rain for work and also I do not live in Mumbai May be I love it because rains bring more work and therefore more money for me Try to enjoy it

Cilla said...

@Anju thanks for commenting...yes rains are damn necessary but in Mumbai we wait for it all the time on one hand and then dread it the moment it starts...

@Charakan I used to love rains once...I thought them to be the most romantic time of the year, but its rather difficult to enjoy them here in Mumbai when you are always running right when its pouring...

@SM thanks for commenting

Nice to see all new people :-)

S.R.Ayyangar said...

Down to earth & funny too. What about aunties whose umbrella does not open and they struggle or where it gets reversed in wind!