Thursday and Friday are officially off in the country. There is just one thing on in our minds, on our tongues and in our discussions: the elections.
The city is filled with balconies and rooftops supporting the fluttering flags of the their respective beloved political party. It is intense, it is passionate and yet it is scary.
I have a feeling that PML-N will sweep the elections but I shudder to think that. I need - we need PTI to win. We want change.
Nearly all the people I know are rooting and voting for PTI. I would too if only I had gotten my files to register myself as a voter, in time. Alas, I shall not let that happen again. But that’s beside the point. The point is, it’s high time for us to change. For us to stand up, for us to be better humans, better Pakistanis. Time for Naya Pakistan.
Let’s see what the big days have in store for us. It’s been bloody lately. Maybe, the dawn is going to break after all.
Karachi me baarish? Lovely news I heard today! Since lately it has been dark and too many grey clouds. Guess this was the pretty silver lining. You Karachiites there? Having acha khasa fun?
I shall now retire to think of the wet pavements and the petrichor therein.
Today’s afternoon was spent in a Rickshaw in the city’s busy and tight streets. I went with my grandfather in the April spring. There was so much life outside. I went through the same road I do - five days a week to my university - but at 2pm it was completely different. It was filled with people and school boys and girls. A jumpy ride on a street I remembered differently. I needed some things for my work while on the way back grandfather got some flowers. Actually, way alot. It was plain wonderful.
The city streets. The sun, the flowers packed in our bags, the ride in the rickshaw - to and back - and grandfather by my side. This was Saturday best.
Insane thunder right now. It shook me. Yeah. The windows clattered like mad and I thought they would burst. Really. The lighting was like a flash of morning light. And then, you know what I hear that gives me a bit of peace and then finally alot? The adhaan. Always.
My brother crashed the glow sticks and got the liquid out to do this on our gate. I miss this. All.
So, my grandfather had to leave the city today and travel 600 km south. He had his ticket ready. In the morning he wakes up and he goes like,
`Hey. Happy birthday Mehreen!`
I come home after a long day at the university and my grandfather is still here. He said how can he leave the city when it was my birthday?
We went to the bazaar. I got some CDs. He got me my favourite samosas. I spotted the Orion again, like every night after bare abu showed me where to look: in the skies of velvet blue.
It’s been home.
Tomorrow?
It’s his birthday.
Sometimes I wonder what I would do without my camera and the art of this taking photos. The skies tonight, the laughter that was yesterday ringing. Life can be so many things but one thing it can never be: black and white. The anomaly of life is like that behavior of water from 0’C to 4’C and beyond.
And we sail on. Sailing.
tishnigi:
1800km, I have a little gift for you. An attempt at compensation for deleting my love letters blog. I hope you find sweetness in these. 300 or so love letters of different sorts.
Tashkoor. They are beautiful.
My jaw just dropped. Immensely beautiful.
