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[janakimurali]

Rain, pakoras and cricket

Writing for Deccan Herald’s School Edition is always fun. This School Year, DHSc is working on seasonal themes and I wrote this short story in two parts  on the monsoon. 

Rain, Pakoras and Cricket

Janaki Murali

 Part One

 Sunny was very excited. He had finished all his homework on Friday itself, so he could watch the world cup cricket match.

 India was playing one of the other top ranked teams. India had been unbeaten till then and he was excited to see how the boys in blue would continue their winning streak.  

 Sonam was equally excited. She had made a bet with her brother on the score that India would reach and if she was right, he would have to do all her chores for the week and if her brother was right, she would have to do all his chores for the week.  

 The whole family gathered around the family room waiting for the match to start. Sunny and Sonam both wore the India team colour. They sat on the edge of their chairs watching as India won the toss and elected to bat. Their dad and mom too watched the match along with them cheering each four and six by the India team.

 When it looked like India might not cross the score, which she had said predicted, Sonam said, ‘Sunny, get ready to do all my chores, starting with cleaning my sports shoes for tomorrow’s school day.’  

‘What’s this about?’ their dad asked.

 ‘Oh, it’s a bet Sunny and I have, if India does not cross the score I predicted, he has to do all my chores for the week and if India gets the score he predicted, I’ll do all his chores.’

 ‘But India will reach my score, look how well they’re batting,’ said Sunny.

 ‘You never know, you may still lose the bet,’ his sister said.

 Just then, they heard the distant sound of thunder and a streak of lightning flashed on their window panes. Outside their home, the sky had darkened and the sun had hidden behind dark, dense clouds.

 ‘There, rain may stop play,’ said Sonam.

 ‘But it’s not raining on the cricket ground silly, they’re playing in the UK’ said Sunny, as he stayed glued to the TV screen.

 ‘Oh, you never know, it could rain there too,’ said Sonam.

 ‘No, it won’t, they’ll get the score I predicted.  And, you’ll have to do my chores.’

 Within minutes, the two were arguing over the nitty gritty of the game, who scored how much, how many dot balls they’d hit, how many more fours and sixes were needed to reach the score Sunny had predicted.      

 ‘Stop arguing you two. Just enjoy the match, appreciate the hard work all the cricketers have put into their game. Just because a batsman doesn’t hit a four, it doesn’t mean it’s his fault, the other team has equally good cricketers on their side,’ said their father.

 Outside their home, the rain had started. It started as a drizzle, but soon it turned into a heavy downpour. The trees outside their home swayed in the strong wind. The sound of the rain almost drowned out the loud cheering the teenagers gave the India team, each time a cricketer scored a four or a six,

 Suddenly everyone heard a deafening crashing sound outside their home. Instantly as it were, all the lights went out and the TV screen blacked out.  

 ‘Oh no,’ said Sunny and Sonam together.

 Sunny went to get a torch, while Sonam went to get candles. Their father went out to see if the raintree outside their home had fallen on someone. Their mother went to check if the gas stove and other electrical gadgets were turned off.  

 ‘What luck, the power won’t come back for a while, we can’t see the match anymore,’ said Sunny.

 He too had gone to check what had happened outside their home. He was dripping wet.  

 ‘What happened?’ asked Sonam, as she lit the candles and placed them around the house.

 ‘A huge branch of the raintree has fallen across our street, pulling some power cables along with it. Nobody can cross the street, until its cleared.’

 ’Is anyone hurt?’ asked his mom, handing him a towel.  

 ‘No, nobody is hurt. Dad just called the electricity department and the BBMP help line. We’re gathering neighbours to help clear the branch once the BBMP people come,’

 ‘Be careful and take your raincoat, and take dad’s too,’ said their mother,  

 ‘Wait, I am coming too,’ said Sonam, gathering her own raincoat.  

(To be continued)

Rain, Pakoras and Cricket

Janaki Murali

 Part Two

 The fallen branch had blocked all traffic coming into their street. The rainswept street was slippery too. There were huge logs, twigs and leaves everywhere.

 Sunny and Sonam made temporary road signs on cardboard they found in their school supplies. The signs said, ‘Beware, fallen tree ahead.’ They put up the signs on both sides of the street.  

 Although the rain had stopped, the sudden storm had eroded the tarred street and created several puddles. The puddles filled with rainwater, shone silvery in the dark.

 Sunny and Sonam placed tall twigs in them to warn vehicle drivers of the potholes.

 Many of their neighbours were out on the street along with them, some with torches and some with mobile phone lights, helping the BBMP staff clear the heavy branches of the raintree.

 On the other end, the electricity department staff were gathering the fallen power cables and repairing them.

 ‘We have cut off the power as a caution, we’ll switch it on as soon as we finish repairing them,’ one of them said.  

 ‘What an interesting match it was until the power went off,’ grumbled Sunny, as he helped his neighbours move the heavy branch to the side of the road, so that a passage could be created.

 ‘I know, just when we were playing so well too,’ said Sonam.

‘Huh, so you’re ready to concede, India may reach my score,’ grinned Sunny.  

 ‘Now we won’t know, right?’ she said dejectedly.

 ‘We can always watch the highlights,’ said their father overhearing the teenagers.  ‘What is important is that nobody got hurt and we’re helping our neighbours and government staff in clearing the street, so that people can drive through safely.’

 ‘Yes, that’s true,’ said the kids.

 After what seemed like several hours, although it had been only a couple of hours, their street was cleared of the huge branch. Around the same time power was restored too. The street lights came on, shining brightly in the moonless night.

 ‘Yayay,’ said Sunny, clapping. Everyone around him clapped too.

 The BBMP and electricity department staff got a round of applause too.

 ‘Now, we can go back and watch the match, or what’s left of it,’ said Sunny.

 ‘Yes, but we have to wash and change to clean and dry clothes, mom won’t let us carry all this dirt into the house,’ said Sonam.

 As the two teenagers went back into their home, they were greeted by the aroma of strong spices.

 ‘Hey mom is making Pakoras,’ said Sonam.

‘I can smell spicy ginger tea too,’ said Sunny.

 ‘Race you to the bathroom,’ said Sonam, running off ahead of her brother.

 Moments later, the family was back in the family room, dry and in clean clothes.

 The TV was turned on to the World Cup cricket match once again. India was now bowling and the opposing team had already lost a couple of wickets. India had reached the score which Sunny had predicted. But, instead of being unhappy that she had lost the bet with her brother, Sonam was thrilled that the India team was playing so well.  

 A large bowl of hot pakoras and a pot of hot ginger tea was on the table in front of them.  There was a bowl of green coriander chutney to go with it.

 ‘Mom, the pakoras are delicious,’ said Sonam, as she bit into a crisp, crunchy golden pakora.  

 ‘Yes Mom, they are yummy, I can taste onions, capsicums, corn, cauliflower and cashew nuts,’ said Sunny.

 ‘Ahh, I needed the hot ginger tea,’ said their father, pouring a cup of steaming hot tea into a cup.

 ‘So Sunny, what chore do you want me to do?’ asked Sonam resignedly.

 ‘Ah nothing, I am just glad that India is playing so well, aren’t you?’

‘Of course, I am.  I really didn’t mind losing this bet with you. But I think I will iron your school uniform along with mine, fair is fair, I did lose my bet,’ said Sonam grinning, as she bit into another of her mom’s delicious pakoras.

Concluded