Laziness

An ideal afternoon...

It is 12:30 on a slow weekday, and I am sitting idle at home, not having anything to do. Of course, the day was one the many I was officially given to prepare for my semester exams, but note here the qualifying word 'many'. As the modern version of Kabir went, 'Kal kare to parson kar, parson kare to kabhi nahi...' (meaning: if there is something to do tomorrow, do it the day after, and if there is something for the day after, do it never... :)). I was a committed follower of this wonderful 'doha', which also seems to find a rabid following among college students.

So here I am, sitting idle at 12:30, just having finished a sustaining repast the English speaking world calls lunch (or sometimes, dinner) . I turn the TV on, but there is nothing of interest (thanks to the conditional access system so lovingly implemented only in Madras out of the entire India). After listlessly changing between BBC world and NDTV, I decide to read, which I knew would inevitably be followed by a longish nap. So I grab a book (I do not remember which), and settle on my bed. My current posture is stretching my legs on the bed, but sitting upright leaning on a mountain of three cushions. I start reading...

One hour later: the only sound around is that of the ceiling fan, and I slightly change my posture, now lying on the bed properly. I keep reading for a while, after which the sun also changes its posture such that my room is in shadow and there is a comfortable darkness around. This darkness is enough to sleep without light irritating one's eyes, and also slightly uncomfortable for reading. I continue reading trying to resist sleep, which by now I know is inevitable. As a concession to my (now) sleepy self, I remove a pillow from underneath my head and settle it beneath my knees and get a blanket for myself. I am now feeling at the peak of comfort and laziness, such that in a few minutes, the book slides off my now lazy fingers and my eyes close shut. Peace!

The next thing I know, it is even more dark (or it appears such to my sleepy eyes). I squint at the clock and discover it is 3 o'clock! No sooner than my mind registers this fact, my stomach lets out a timely rumble! I get up, raid the kitchen, where I can find only a few Marie biscuits. I look out the window, and it is really dark. The entire sky is covered with menacing black clouds, and there is a very slight but chilly wind. The street outside is completely still; not even the crows want to disturb the tranquility.

Ding...Ding...Ding...Dong! I can hear this pattern of sound from the next street. I know what this means! A timely afternoon snack! After a long wait of five minutes, the source of this noise (or was it music?) turns the corner onto my street. I grab a few coins and go out to the gate. The guy notices me and comes over. Some money changes hands, and I am left with a (news)paper wrapped packet of warm roasted groundnuts. Just holding the packet gives me so much pleasure! I quickly hurry inside, for the clouds above me decide to water the city's plants, and warn me in advance with a slight drizzle. I resume my position on my bed, but discover that it really too dark to read there. So I repair to the hall and settle on the carpet with my book and the snack. Soon, the watering of the city starts in real earnest, and I can smell the dusty Indian earth (what a wonderful smell - it puts you in such a good mood!). I quickly finish my snack, enjoying it all the while. After this, I quickly make some hot tea (I am a coffee guy, at evenings I love my tea), and really settle down to enjoy the scene. Warm groundnuts ground by one's teeth, washed down by strong hot and sweet tea, while the ears are busy listening to the sound of rain, and the eyes reading the words line by line, the body lays at peace, not having much work to do and the mind enjoying the very laziness of it all. What an experience!

Oh to be so lazy again!