Wet Deepavali with the Wife

Posted on November 12, 2004 20:25 PM EST

Continued from this one: Grilled Veggie Burrito

The weather was absolutely gorgeous as I walked through Downtown Phoenix, on the way to Baja Fresh. It was the kind of weather that makes me sing Ghanan Ghanan. (Listening to it now).

These cloudy days are so rare in Phoenix. Today it was totally cloudy. It was neele megh shaam (not Shyam! :)). Like a romantic Deepavali evening should be. I found myself wishing even more that the gf was with me. Since there is no gf, I call a friend who is a girl. During times like these she pings me on Yahoo and leaves the message: "Hey, baahar dekha? Mausam bahut shaayaraana hai". She has just woken up from a siesta and when I tell her that I called because the weather is so beautiful outside, she laughs and says, "Paagal ho!" The whole world knows that by now.

Grilled veggie burrito was yummy. The marinated peppers and Cholula sauce were yummier. I had taken a book with me to read while eating, but I did not feel like reading. Just wanted to enjoy the food and the atmosphere and my thoughts. I look at myself in the mirror while eating and wipe the burrito-juice from the end of my moustache. I did not feel like washing my hair this morning, instead I oiled it. With the oiled hair and thick fleece lumber-jack shirt, I look like a red-neck from India. Damn! That means, I have to go home, shave, shower and change before going to the friend's house this evening where I am invited for Deepavali dinner. I hope we get to play Uno there.

By the time I finish lunch and walk out with the glass of water-with-ice-and-lemon-slice, it has started raining. I step out right into the rain. I love walking in the rain. I love the feel of cold rain drops on my face. They are like countless tiny wet kisses from the rain goddess. Rain drops fall in my glass of water. I find myself thinking of the gf again. Only now, she has become my wife. Wishing I was not walking back to work. Wishing I was going back home, to my wife who is clean and dressed and smelling good and ready to do Lakshmi puja. She'd help dry my head with a towel (when my mom tried drying my hair as a kid, I always got irritated and pushed her hands away). After I am washed and changed and ready, we'd worship the goddess praying her to keep us on the path of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, praying that we are always content and happy together in our life. Then we would have a quick snack and go out for a drive in the rain. We'd stop at some place in the open desert, step out of the car and enjoy the rain. I'd lean her against the car and kiss her and we'd come back home...

By now I have reached my office and proceed to type out this blog. One more last report to run, print and I will be out of here.

Happy Deepavali to all!