Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is starts with “u.” Find a word that starts with the letter “u” and use it however you’d like. Bonus points if it’s the first word in your post. Enjoy!
Umbrellas are a part of our lives during the monsoon months and in summer. The temperature starts rising from March and the days are very hot. Many of us need the shade given by the umbrella. Ladies prefer the folding ones which can be kept in their bags. Some men wear caps or hats. Postmen always wear one😊.
Rain bearing winds from the south west hit our coast in the first week of June and the rainy season lasts till end of September. We see different types of umbrellas. There are big ones with wooden handles and small ones which can be folded. Children like colourful ones. Flower and fruit sellers have large umbrellas to protect their wares. Special umbrellas are held over the idols when they are taken in a procession around the temple.
When there are gusty winds and torrential rains the umbrella protects only the head😊. Folding ones are in danger of turning backwards with the wind. And by the time it is corrected we are fully drenched😊. Those who commute on two wheelers prefer a raincoat.
Now we are having sunny days with sudden rain. One afternoon we thought it would not rain and did not take the umbrella. But it did. We walked in the rain three times, of course with our umbrellas. It is a nice experience and a pleasure to see rain drops touching the road. I feel a little lazy to start out if it raining.
When people go out to restaurants or libraries they forget to collect their umbrellas while leaving. Once I left mine in Asare and rushed back from the gate to collect it. If people are absent minded in a bus, the umbrella gets a new owner 😊.
Writing about umbrellas I remember this incident that happened to my father’s elder sister in Bombay. She was professor of Political Science. One afternoon she was walking back from the railway station to her home. She was holding her umbrella to protect herself from the scorching sun and saw a young man walking towards her. Before she could understand what was happening, he snatched at gold chain she was wearing. She kept her cool and thrust the open umbrella to his face. He yelled and fled the scene. The umbrella must have hurt him.
It is good to know that we can protect ourselves in times of need. Long back, my mother, a cousin, both young and attractive went with others to a planetarium. The programme started. It was very dark and suddenly my mother felt a hand trying to touch her. She was scared and told my cousin about it. My cousin took a pin and pierced the hand with all her strength, it retreated at once 😊.
Recently it was nice to read about Karthik and his mother who are training girls in self-defence. It is good to be mentally and physically prepared.
What is Southwest Monsoon? | Skymet Weather Services
www.skymetweather.com/content/weather-faqs/what-is-southwest-monsoon/
Mukhamani 
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