Monsoon Magic

As a child, monsoons were the most exciting time of year. Everything was new! New class, new books, new school bag, even the earth looked new after a few torrential showers.

Clad in my red uniform, and a pair of red gumboots, a red satchel swung nearly on my shoulder, a red water bottle dangling from the other shoulder, wrapped securely in a red raincoat, my father would bundle my brother and me to school taking extra special care to ensure I stayed as dry as a bone. Being a sickly child, that was no fun at all. I watched everyone play in the rain and splash about in puddles while I was being dragged... I mean... escorted to my designated classroom.

Playtime? Now that was another story. I had a little slack time between lunch and homework. I would sneak out of one of the many doors of my grandfather's opulent mansion, getting my grandmother's battalion of maids was another kettle of fish. They were trained to snitch. Oh, and there was my nanny too who had to keep a close watch on me. I turned into the artful dodger.

I would sneak out into the garden where I was sheltered from the rain and I could play without getting wet. Bliss!

There was an unobserved playtime with my friends. We would make boats out of scraps of wood, thermocol, and paper. We weren't allowed to play in the quarry so we had to settle for the biggest pond in the neighborhood. We spent hours wading in the water, sailing our boats and enjoying splashing about with absolutely no adult supervision.

When I was older and I had to change schools I had to walk in the rain. I was in heaven! My school was situated on the top of a hill and there was a lot of splashing about on the way not to forget the gushing streams.

My mother would pick me up from school and we would splash around in puddles all the way home. Mom was cool like that. She didn't like to see me miss out on all the fun because of my health. I would inevitably fall sick after that but it was worth every moment.

As a child, there's nothing more magical than the rains and as an adult, there's nothing more exciting than the reliving of memories of one's childhood.

The monsoons bring back a flood of happy moments that put a smile on my face. Moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.