This month ushers in the rains here down south. We have had a few showers already. In fact right now there is one happening. It is sunny but there is a drizz...lovely!
I caught the rains early this year than most of my fellows in the South. I had gone to Goa. There was some news that rains had failed in Goa after the initial tempest. I took the train, first in June, and then in beginning of September.The June showers drenched me, soaked me and it felt good to get wet again in Goa. It was as though my childhood was hybernating in this rain-metaphore, and while I was away I had missed this experience of getting wet in Goa. In june it resumed, and with it came a rush of nostalgia...
Getting wet in Goa is special,-since in your depth you are entirely a Goan- and no ammount of explanation could illustrate the point,the feeling.
And September rains too caught me unawares.
As I said, there was a talk of rains having failed in the Indian western coast. I took the Friday train and reached Goa the following day, and Lo! It began to rain. I remember sitting with Raymond in Margao when it began raining and he said, "shit! You brought rains, man!" Later in Panjim, I hired a scooter from Greg and did the rounds of Taleigao and Panjim, wet of course, and happy.
But this trip, like the one Paula and I did, in 2005 September, may be drenched. But that rain WAS something. Seven days of unrelenting downpour literally! No exaggerations. Made matters worse because of the bad back Paula suffered as she was lifting the other suitcase. We had our 2 years old son Mir with us. There was little we could do but check in the nearest guest house in Patto. Bad rains, bad back, bad guest house,bad bad bad trip!
Going to Goa, which I have done only four times in the last 18 years or so, was so special until the last trip in September. This time I unburdened myself of the debt, the sentimental ties one has with one's birthplace. Goa alienated me like nothing has in a long time. The only bright spot was a hour & a half long meeting with my buddy Elvis in Club National, the old Goan club.
