VEIL OF DUST

 VEIL OF DUST

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

16/V/2023

 

Imagine, if your maid screams from the veranda “Kood Gayo-Kood Gayo” fanatically. Who could it be and why should he/she or it jump? Both my wife and I ran to find out. Wife was a little ahead of me and in a quick scoop she picked up something and threw it into the fish tank.

 

It was a Grey Molly fish. The tiles were so hot, that instantly she had got stuck to it. It was just in the nick of time the fish was put back to where it belonged. For a moment, it just sank to the bottom of the tank. Then with a sudden jerk she wriggled and was back to normal, swimming gracefully. It must have been a horrifying experience for the fish, as it was for us. Luckily the maid saw it jump or else she would have been roasted alive.

 

The weather was terrible and the hottest of this season. Our bad luck, the water aeration pump of the fish tank went ‘kaput’. Come hail or a sand storm, I had to visit the aquarium shop to get a new one before more fish would try that stunt.

 

Once the pump was replaced and running, the fish settled. I asked my wife to spare an old Dupatta to cover the tanks for two reasons. Shade and prevent them from jumping. Mission was successful.

 

God was kind, as by five in the evening dark clouds started to gather. There was thunder and lightning but it seemed too far away. The temperature came down, giving some relief. We had to go out for some chores. On our return journey it started to pour heavily. The wind speeds picked up. It was getting a little dangerous for our liking. There was a hail storm too in the vicinity.

 

When we entered our lane, trees had fallen and been uprooted. Our road was blocked with numerous broken branches. The bright side was that though it had become humid, it was nature's way of cooling things down. Once it rains here in the deserts, the next two days are quite comfy and cool. My fish would feel comfortable and not attempt any silly thing.

 

It was early morning and time for me to take a walk. As I opened the main door, there was a misty kind of feeling. I rubbed my eyes, as one could not even see the lane opposite us. Initially, I thought I must be hallucinating. I walked back to fetch my specs but the scene didn’t change.

 

A thick veil of dust hung in the air. The floor was dusty, the leaves looked powdered with ash, vehicles were covered with a layer of sand. Last night it must have been another ‘Aandhi’, which is quite common here in the summer months.

 

Dust and sand get into every crack. I quickly peeped into my fish tanks. Indeed, the top layer was a thin sheet of dust. Before the natural oxygenation was cut out, there was a task at hand. That layer had to be removed forthwith.

 

In this process of washing the plants, two very favourite plants which had gone missing revealed themselves. One was “Latest”, which has a story attached to its name. In Alibaug, once these flowers were being sold on a hand cart and I asked the man its name. He said ‘latest’ and since then we call it so, even though the actual name is “torenia”.

 

The second was another colour of Caladium, which had sprouted in one of the hibiscus pots. No guesses for how it reached there. During the change of soil, a tuber must have been transferred to this pot. Now that caladium leaves are in season, it erupted.

 

I think this discovery was when the veil of dust parted for a little while and visibility improved substantially. What else would be hiding behind this veil of dust suspended in the air? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS