Word's Worth

I chose not to take the umbrella. It was a murky, monsoon evening. The kinds when mothers call every twenty minutes to warn of impending thunderstorm.

Fifteen minutes earlier, I handpicked my favourite Words and tossed them into my shirt pocket. I had to walk with my Words today. An evening stroll, say. 

As I walked out, there was the familiar sound of automobile. Hawkers were performing. Urban middle class littered the street, desperate to find empty rickshaws.

The rain had arrived. Foreplaying with a drizzle for four minutes. Only.

I walked into a smaller, unkempt lane full of crumbling apartments and clandestine love.

No sooner did I hit an uneven patch of tar than, Truth almost fell off. I readjusted my footing and placed Truth back into the pocket constantly aware of her fragile manufacture.

I walked carefully but caution can do little against a sadistic fate. Humour, the lazy bastard, was sleeping away until I slipped on a patch of moss. And fell hard on my butt. He laughed hard and long. I was quite disappointed with his taste, frankly. I waited a while and then started walking again.

The clouds were delirious, the water trying ever so hard to erode my film of polluted skin.

In such a tempest, Courage drowned herself, almost. She was right at the bottom, below Gratitude. I pulled her out and placed her right on top. Just where she belongs. She was beaming with pride.

Gratitude, on the other hand, was insecure in such august company. She was gravitating towards a corner, constantly thanking me for including her in the list. I reminded her to not be strategic, but honest. And so, I pushed her towards Truth.

I was now walking through a rare and rather remarkable portion of the city. Massive banyan trees were drooping in to make conversation. They were old, wise and humble. Humility paid his respect by bowing to their majesty. 

My pocket garnered a lot of attention from the passers-by. It was filled to the brim with heavy-weights.

I quickly ran through the back road, even as the words bumbled about with Happiness. Happiness, meanwhile, was simply being happy.

It was pouring now and the mother was calling every twenty seconds. There was never a more potent alarm.

I was drenched by the time I got home. Rushed hurriedly into the room and placed my friends back into their respective homes. 

Wow. I felt lighter.

Even as Emptiness lay there on the side, smiling.