In my neck of the woods, December, especially the latter half of the month, is the time when we have somewhat cool nights and misty mornings. Mind you, I said cool, not cold. The days though remain steadfastly too bright and hot, the humidity making matters worse.

And yet…

This last December, someone forgot to remind it to stick to schedule. Instead of being true to itself, there it was trying out new stuff, emulating some other month of the year, in a misguided sense of hero-worship perhaps, and in the process giving us all hell with warm days and equally warm nights. Or maybe it was some higher up managing these things that forgot to switch on the right button. Anyways…

The ceiling fans ran at full speed all month. The air conditioning was switched on at other places. In December! ‘How could you, December?’ was trembling on lips, mine included. It was in much such despondency that we welcomed the new year at midnight in the open. Unlike the last year, there was no pleasant chill in the air. Perspiration ran freely in rivulets, staining our dresses and making our faces shine like sticky toffees. January apparently was following the lead of December. or maybe it was the same higher up playing games again.

Oh well. This is how it is this time, we concluded. No snuggling under sheets for warmth, only kicking them off in desperation. No asking to please switch off the ceiling fan, only requests to increase its speed. No standing in the balcony in the morning marvelling at the ethereal look of your surroundings blanketed in a light mist, only cursing the sticky start to the day and rushing off to a short-lived freshness of a shower.

Or so it was the first couple of weeks.

Half into the month, January turned course all of a sudden. It was as if it remembered its true nature and purpose in life. Or maybe it was the truant higher up again, realising too late that things were not as it should be. That slight chill was added to the nights making them pleasant again. Sheets had to be pulled up to cover oneself, especially in the wee hours of the morning. Fans began to be run at slower speed or not at all depending on whether you left the windows open or not.

So that’s where we are. Back to what we in our tropical region can modestly call our very own version of ‘winter’: Bright and really warm sunny days and lovely cool nights.

©️ Shail Mohan 2024