


I said: “And why is that?”

He said: “Well, we are becoming older by the day, aren’t we? And you are definitely old.”

Usually, when Teja and I walk around Bumm-Bumm-Bhole-Land, we start off with him striding forward, and me following hesitantly, the act of walking in Bumm-Bumm-Bhole-Land being fraught with many hazards like potholes, dog shit and little kids on little bicycles hurtling towards your knees. But within a few minutes we gravitate towards each other, hold hands for a while, then move away again for a while, and so it goes. When I’m saying something, I pull at his arm to assure myself he is listening. And as you know, I always need a hand to help me cross the road.

But with our umbrellas aloft, there was a respectable 2-3 feet distance between us. Any move closer threatened to poke the other’s eye out. I thought: “This must be what happens when two very long-nosed people try to kiss.”

Just then, Teja shut his umbrella and said: “It’s no fun walking 2 feet away from you.”

Perhaps we need to buy wind-cheaters this season.