nuances of the night

Sometimes i stand at the door. That which faces the street.

I stand at the door at night. When nippy breezes makes my already wet feet shiver. The dust raised settles on my spectacles. I remove them, wipe it thoroughly against the edge of my shirt. And place them against the bridge on my nose.

Streetlights create eery patches of light underneath them. Ranging from a fluorescent yellow.... a pale shade.... into an inky blue-black hue. One can spot shadows shuffling by, if careful attention is paid. For shadows can trick the eyes. Quite easily.

Interesting incidents happen. Interesting because i see a panorama laid in front of me. A lone cow treading step by step. Three bikes zoom by me, i can hear them turn around the corner after a few seconds later. Shrill squeals can be heard, which pierce the night, the sound of brakes. At times, the acrid smell of burnt rubber can also be sensed. It is not pleasant.

Lights of various shades, white, yellow, vermillion, spill out of an open door. I don't have a watch on me. But, i can hear a song which heralds a particular soap. I then realise, it's ten in the night. Mother sights me at the door. She disappears without a word. I continue to witness the night in it's pristine glory for some more time.

There, a handful of boys gather in a neighbour's verandah. They converse in soft tones. Inbetween, a loud cheer is heard. What made them cry out in joy? I look at them. Caught in an exciting chatter, they don't seem to apprehend my gaze.

A flower-seller pushes his cart along the road. The fragrance of those flowers lasts even after the vendor is long past me. Overwhelming! He calls out in a strong voice, asking people to buy flowers from him. Some ladies do venture out of their doorsteps.

A mechanic passes by with grease colouring his clothes..... a lady walks quickly, the pallu of her saree drawn around her shoulders to protect her from the biting breezes..... a small family: father, mother, and a daughter.... their pace is slow as they enjoy a nocturnal stroll.

I look at the sky. Clouds hide the stars. It's said that clouds assumes a red tinge when laden with moisture. Various tones of red fill the sky. Perhaps, it will rain during the night. I see something glitter. Silver for a moment, it takes up a golden colour the next moment.

I think. Perhaps, my eyelids droop with the weight of sleep. No. On a second glance, i notice a kite. Caught amongst the fronds of a coconut tree, it swayed to the tunes of the wafts of air. Made of plastic, it shone splendidly, when light fell on it.