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The Umbrella


Last monsoon I got an umbrella as a gift. Lilac in colour. Foldable to almost-pocket size. But it seemed a little too delicate for the gusty winds coming from the sea-side. I decided that I won't use that umbrella here in Mumbai and kept it safely in my cupboard. I wanted to possess it forever, even if that meant keeping it as a show-piece in my drawing room.


One day when somebody had borrowed my other in-use umbrella I had to take this one out. I had hardly walked 50 steps when I saw an accident happening in front of my eyes. A car had hit somebody. Out of shock the grip on my umbrella loosened and I ran towards the site of accident. It was a friend. Luckily she didn't get hurt badly. Next I noticed that my umbrella had flew to a distance. I ran and grabbed it. It was torn. I started cursing myself, "Why did I take it out today?"


The new umbrella, now damaged, was kept back in the same cupboard.

I got another umbrella towards the end of last monsoon. Thought it would last through this monsoon too. A year passed. As the monsoon began this year, the umbrella I bought last year didn't look good enough, so i bought a new one.

This one was black in colour. Quite ugly but sturdy. It was 'just' an umbrella. No emotions attached.

I got into an auto with this umbrella and then got down the auto without it. The only feeling I had after this loss was "Oh no! Now I will have to get yet another umbrella."

When I woke up the next morning, it was raining. And I didn't have an umbrella. I was about to leave my room without one when I remembered that the 'torn lilac umbrella' is kept somewhere in my cupboard. I found it. I was looking at it after one year. It didn't look bad at all. Yes it had a hole somewhere on its body but still it should be able to protect me from the rain except may be a few drops, i thought.

Next, I walked into the rain with my 'torn lilac umbrella' over my head. Apart from the feeling of possessing something I love I felt something else...a kind of protective feeling for my umbrella. I have to guard it against strong gusty winds at the same time when it is protecting me from the rain.

May be that accident was necessary to induce this kind of feeling in me...

Picture courtesy: http://desktoppub.about.com/

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Comments

AK said…
good piece :)
24 August, 2008 13:14
silent_rebel said…
duniya mein chhatri ki kami hai ka????
24 August, 2008 21:32
Shazia said…
@ Arun
Thanks :)

@ Senthu,
Arey samjha karo, bahot kami hai. Bahot mushkil se to kuch pasand aata hai yaar.
25 August, 2008 09:14
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