Bombay

Rain spattering on the windows of the speeding car. The expressway, beautiful as always in the monsoons. I am hemmed in by parallel walls of verdant green. Little streams sprout up unexpectedly. I've always loved them. Ephemeral little trickles, unaware of their short life, uncaring about their imminent end. Little trickles, content and ebullient in today.

The feverish few hours of revising word lists leaves me brain dead. I look through school geometry. Wonder at the little details I've forgotten. Read up on the nuances of locating flaws in arguments. But I'm haunted by insomnia still. Big day tomorrow. Big day, big day. Big day followed by many silent 'what if's?'. I cannot calm her, and leave her be. She stays awake till dawn.

What a clinical place. Suspicious guards, paranoid americanized Indians. Or perhaps people worried about their jobs. My sleep deprived head works slowly. The interminable exam terminates sooner than expected. I'm free.

Himani. Trying to slowly build bridges again through an addled head. HN. Mocha. Moments. Memories. Bombay. Sultry and free.

The drive back. Speeding car. This time, I have thoughts and a cool wind. And the parallel walls are black. But they don't hem me in anymore.