midnight musings...

Last night...the time would've been about 2:30 am... my cousin woke my lazy sleeping ass off the couch facing the tv in the most effective manner possible..."chal let's go for a smoke"...instant transformation, from the garfield-inspired-yawning-lethargy to colorful, shiny, bouncing slinky...

We tip-toed out to the lobby where my sleep-like-an-angel-wake-like-a-hurricane dog was snoring contentedly... my cousin put the giant key into the lock and turned it over three times... this task usually accounts for three loud clicks but he has mastered the art of patiently turning it counter-clockwise and pausing for that brief second before the lock clicks so the sound barely carries to mom & dad's master bedroom upstairs! Once out, we locked the rest of the family in and sat right outside the door on the stairs...

As I stepped out, things felt a little different... a nice different, not the what-the-fuck-just happened sorta different. If you were out at that hour in Delhi, you sure as hell would know what I mean... dressed in a turquoise blue ganjee, white "hearted" shorts and bare feet, I shivered, barely imperceptible even to me, and realized how soothing the cool breeze felt at the first floor of our building... a slight mist floated up from the parking lot and the tree leaves in the distance shook from the sudden spurts of wind. I smiled to myself relishing the cozy warm feeling of the oncoming Delhi winters.

My cousin passed me the cigarrette to light up (...family tradition :)... I always light up, unless I'm driving, or someone has to get up to find matches!). While striking the match, I thought of the lovely comforting feeling of the cold, foggy winter mornings with sizzling strong cups of coffee that taste so much better as you snuggle back under the covers and search for that part of the bed, still warm from when you woke up...
I think of cold hands rubbing together as I walk out of my house, wrapped up in a fleece sweater, oversized overcoat or one of mom's shawls (stolen from her wardrobe)...
I think of all the lovely people thronging CP, clothed in colorful winter-wear soaking up the balmy afternoon sun in Central Park or haggling with road-side vendors at Janpath for junk jewelry...three happy thoughts, three drags, and I pass the smoke to my cousin (busy on his phone, talking to one of his multiple girlfriends)...

Absentmindedly, I too pick up my phone to call up the one person I know who hasn't experienced this gorgeous Delhi season before and with whom I'll spend my most comforting, snug moments in my city this year... a familiar voice answered "Hello"..."Hi" I said, "Winters are coming to Delhi soon...Yayyy!" He chuckles at my goofiness and wonders what's so special about this season the very notion of which has every Delhiite smiling dreamily... I take a couple more drags from my cousin and think to myself about the season of hot coffee, freezing cold nights, Old Monk & cola, blankets, bright comical socks & sneakers, Christmas rooftop barbecues and New Years' Eve enthusiasm... and the best part is, winters get better each year... haven't experienced a more satisfying winter anywhere else...ever!