The Marina breeze

It was the first visit to the beach for the breeze

Having always been blowing over the faces of forlorn sailors

And soothing the occasional dolphins that jumped out in delight

And having helped seagulls fly island after island

This was the first time in months it was visiting land

And with uncontrollable delight the breeze raced past the waves

And landed at the shore of the Marina beach!

It was stupefied for a moment

Looking at the sea of people it saw, larger than the Marina

But it quickly cheered itself

The more the people, the more happiness it could spread...

And as it slowly searched for its first encounter,

Its glance fell upon a bunch of three girls building a sand castle!

Clad in brightly colored skirts,

Heads adorned with little jasmine flowers

They were filling their tiny hands full of sand

And were building their own castle on the path of becoming princesses..

Seeing this, the breeze grinned

Who would be better suited to be blown upon by it than these darlings?

And it blew across them, carrying the scent of the jasmine with it

But blowing apart their carefully built castle

Making one of the girls cry, as two others sat down dejected!

Greatly saddened by its act, the breeze slowly searched around...

His two fingers were slowly playing hide and seek with hers

Their chuckles, as their fingers met, adding to their bonding

And slowly his fingers encircled hers and her smile subsided

A tinge of fear and her eyes looked around, telling him of their presence

Amongst hundreds of unknown strangers 

But he didn't care, he was a man, after all

And pulling her closer, as she blushed, he smiled a wicked smile

Filled with unbridled romance...

Why not add an artist's touch to the romance?

The breeze thought and blew in their direction..

As the man bent forward, the girl pulled herself back suddenly

Her eyes flickering constantly like a dying bulb

Sand grains had been blown into her eyes

And she began rubbing her eyes

Leaving the man punch his fist in the sand

Shouting, "Of all moments, should the breeze blow only now?!"

The breeze had always loved love

And so now, it was heart-broken by what it had done

But it was not going to give up!

Standing behind a row of oil dripping bajji's

Sentenced to death by hanging

She stood, her hands dipped in the flour, shouting

About the price of the bajji, to a customer..

Finally as the customer paid up, she took out the chilly fully covered by flour

And lowered it slowly into the burning oil

Like a ship lowered for it's first ride in the sea

And as the group of chillies swam in the oil

Like a school of golden fish

She pulled out the saree fold inserted in her waist

And wiped the sweat on her forehead...

Filled with enthusiasm, the breeze blew

With the good intention of comforting a woman in perspiration

But alas! As it crossed her shop, it was met with her loud shout

"Intha paazhaa ponna kaathu elaa bajji'yum aara vechiruthu!!"

(This breeze cools down every bajji that is hot!)

What did I do wrong?

The breeze thought to itself and slowly loitered around

Filled with sorrow, when it caught sight of them!

Their skin dark but their faces bright

Their attire poor but their smiles rich

Their bodies small but their hearts big

Were playing a gang of boys

Deftly tugging at the strings of their kites

Running around the beach without a care

Sharing their joy and merry to everyone around...

There could come possibly no harm with these boys

It would only add to their celebrations

Thought the breeze and blew their way

Turning and twisting as it passed their kites

But slowly it stopped as it found the shouts of the boys faint 

And as it looked at the grim faces of the boys staring up

It looked at the havoc it had caused

The strings of the kites had entwined themselves with one another

Tangled like Rapunzel's hair!

Devastated to the most, the breeze blew towards the shore

Deciding to return to the ocean!

But it was then it saw the old man

Walking slowly, taking care that nothing lay on his way

Waving his hand to anyone who passed by

His face lit up by a young smile

And his eyes winking at any old lady who crossed him

To their utter shock and to his utter delight...

The breeze felt rejuvenated looking at this and it swiftly blew

But as it touched his bespectacled face,

The old man quickly raised his face upwards,

His nose slightly tingling, his eyelids automatically closing

And finally it happened - a loud sneeze!

"No one needs me. No one feels happy when I blow. I am useless!"

The breeze told itself and started its journey back to the shore

As it reached the waves rushing back to the ocean

It turned and looked once again at the people on the shore

Sadness was all it felt

And telling the waves that it understood now

Why they never stayed on the shore but returned immediately

It accompanied them back to the ocean!

About 10 minutes later,

As the sun slowly paved way for the moon

As the birds returned in flocks to their nests

As the families started readying themselves to leave

As the shopkeepers turned on the lights at their shops

Was heard a voice on the shore

With a tinge of melancholy,

"You can't find a breeze blowing even at the beach nowadays!"