One week into the monsoon season and the grass, weeds, ferns and creepers
around my house have grown with a vehemence and covered almost all of the
ground. I don’t mind the bushy growth. In fact I love them. The problem is that
the snakes around my house also love them. And the venomous Viper, in
particular, is known to come out for a walk in the early morning, when it is still
semi dark and that is the time when I set out for my walk too.
Today I decided to clear the overgrowth and create a path for me to go to the gate
and got a taste of nature’s way of protecting itself. Since it was grass mostly, I
started plucking it out with my bear hands and in no time had dozens of pricks
and scratches on my hands made by the unseen tiny thorny growth co existing
with the grass. I retreated, wore a pair of gardening gloves and returned. A little
progress and then I had my hands tangled amongst the creepers spreading on
the ground which just wouldn’t budge. I went back for a cutter and got to work.
With in minutes my hands were messy up to the elbow and that is when the
mosquitos decided to come to the rescue of the flora. They were almost of the
size of a tiny bird, and they descended on the most unapproachable spots of
my body. No amount of shaking and wiggling would get them off and I had to
swat myself in ten places before I hit one mosquito. In the process I was
generously garnished with mud and bits of grass and an occasional swatted
mosquito providing a contrast of red colour.
As I was busy swatting mosquitoes, I did not notice the red ants which had
silently crept onto my legs and the very next minute I was found dancing in
my front yard hitting and scratching myself all over.
My neighbour, Mr Raikar came out walking his dog and asked “Doctor, what
happpened?”
“Enjoying the rains” I said, “Happy Monsoon!”
