Yeh hai Bambai, meri jaan...

These are everyday in Bombay
… somewhere or the other
Whether or not anyone is around to watch ... whether or not people watching notice…

This isn’t meant to be writing.
This is meant to be pictures. Real live pictures.
The accompaniment music… is the sound of a heart beat…

5:03 am: Airport Runway
(Location: Santacruz)
Black.
It is always darkest before dawn.
The runway lights shine on steadily… symmetrically…
The city wakes… watches over you…

5:30 am. The first visitor, the first 'note to self'.
(Location: Somewhere on the way to being awake)
“Didi doodh” says little boy wearing your old t-shirt, shorts and a smile.
“thank you… umm…” say you... eyes half shut… must remember to buy him slippers.
“Welcome didi.” He runs on…
… you go turn on the radio…

6:00 am. Consciousness and coffee.
(Location: kitchen floor)
White cup, with cartoon dog on it. All milk no water coffee.
Strong... Bitter... Sickeningly Sweet.
Serpentine steam...
Smell… Still more smiles…

6:01 am: The Grey-yellow sunrise.
(Location: Every where)
Alarm clocks going off in the neighbours homes.
The little man washing the car trips the car alarm again.
Someone swears… rolls over and sleeps…
Someone else laughs… morning person…

7:00 am: THE Local train.
Ear splitting hoot that you don’t react to anymore.
Hurriedly folding up newspapers.

7:45 am: Cautionary Road Signs
(Location: Haji Ali)
A bad patch of road.
Someone put an old rubber tyre around it.
Another adds the frond off a palm tree.
A few rocks. A bunch of sticks. Doggie strutting by pees.

Its good... everyone understands...

8:30 am: Construction work
(Location:Grant Road)
Three little kids in uniforms and bright umbrellas.
Building a house for a mother and her three little babies.
Clumsy effort… lots of licks… empty yellow biscuit wrapper, the bone of contempt between the three puppies…

12:00 pm. Musical Matinee.
(Location: Fort)
The service at an Udipi resteraunt.
15 workers, coffee and cream uniforms, 250 sq.ft of space.
They move… in perfect harmony.

...the little boy with the wash cloth cleans up.