Singing in the Rain

 

After having been down in the dumps with the Lockdown blue, I woke up this morning to the lovely sound of refreshing rains beating down on our balcony.  My grandson, who is a great rain lover came rushing in to sit on my lap and watch the rain. He was so happy that poems kept tumbling out of his mouth in a steady stream – some learnt at school and some created by him at the moment. As he reluctantly moved away for his online classes, I continued to watch the rain with a cup of hot tea as I completed the latest book by Daniel Silva. I could hear the disembodied voices of teachers taking online classes in my neighbouring flats, my daughter and son-in-law getting ready for their work, and maids chattering on the street as they hurried to reach their work spot and that is when I realized how lucky I was.  My mind travelled back to all those rainy days when I could not afford to sit back and enjoy the rains though my heart yearned to do so –

As a child, I could not watch the pitter-patter of rain from my mother’s cosy lap, because she had so much work.

As a schoolgirl, I had to get out of the snug comfort of bed to trudge through the muddy roads to reach school.

As an adolescent, I had to give up the pleasures of rain so I could study to be a success in life.

As an unmarried adult, I could not afford the luxury of watching the rain or the grey skies because deadlines were always looming over the horizon.  I could not afford to get wet, in case I fell sick and had to miss work.

As a mother, there was never any time to play with your children floating paper boats in puddles or simply stand and watch the rain. One always worried about washed clothes (especially uniforms) that wouldn’t dry, absconding maids and children getting wet and falling sick.

As you cross 60, you are cautioned about getting wet and catching pneumonia.

I realize that most women do not have the luxury of enjoying the rainy season all their lives. Can you see a woman in real life singing as did Nargis with Raj Kapoor in Awaara?  Julie Andrews lists “Raindrops on roses” as a favourite thing but for most women only the thorn of the rose is available. If a woman dances as Debbie Reynolds did in “Singing in the Rain” either her mother or her husband or someone in the family would call her foolish.

As a retired person I do not have any of these worries. I do not have any of these worries. I can, at last, do what I want …..Wait! Is that my daughter warning me about sitting in the draught? Asking me to get out of the balcony and the damp air?