The umbrella woman

Monday back from work is life’s best gift. The very thought of a Monday sends a smirk on the faces of the otherwise smiling & bubbling. Samyuktha was getting back from one such day. The sun was beaming high at 5:30 pm in the evening. She had packed herself immediately after her head left for a meeting. Without giving anyone a clue, she left her bag on her table and rushed out of work with just her house key and wallet. Sometimes Samyuktha couldn’t sit at office and work. She would become restless and her legs would start shaking as if to the beats of the construction work that was going on outside. This was one such a day. The piles of documents were left unbothered.
Sam ( as she was fondly called by her friends) was feeling like a liberated bird. She took an auto and sat there dreaming about the book that she could finish today, now that she had all the time. What had seemed a bright evening suddenly darkened. She peeped out of the auto to see the clouds join hands to shower her with all their might. Rain drops tickled down her face, sliding as a roller coaster. She let out her hands out of the auto, to feel the rain on her skin. A man in red –bright shirt, on a Kinetic shouted at her and told her to stop acting like an actress and insisted on her putting her hands inside. Sam couldn’t care less. Suddenly the auto broke down. There came the bombshell just right at the time when she was rejoicing this lovely day. Sam got out of the auto, stuffed the money in the auto driver’s hand and ran to the nearby tree. She cursed herself for having ventured out of office on this day. All that seem lovely suddenly turned fateful. She liked the rain, but didn’t like getting jet-wet in it. Sam noticed a shadow lurking towards her. Her musings were interrupted by a soft gentle voice. “Oh you are going to catch a cold- come inside this umbrella. It will help you”. Sam was startled. She replied- “ Oh! No thanks . It’s not a problem”. The lady said “common , not a problem. This umbrella can take you and me”. Sam felt a sudden loveliness in the voice. Sam inched closer inside the umbrella. Inside, she was furiously thanking the lady for the offer. Not knowing what to say , she asked “ Do autos come this side ?”. The lady replied “ Yes . Ofcourse. Guess you can flag one of those running on the road”. Sam realized how silly her question was. She didn’t know what to speak and hence came rolling-that question. She felt a sudden happiness and realized that such a small act of sharing one’s umbrella really did give pleasure. She then asked herself if she would have done the same like the lady. Sam knew she wouldn’t have done it by herself. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t volunteer. She felt a thunderous joy, the yellow fat little vehicle whooshed past her. She stopped it. Thanked the lady-with the soft, gentle voice, and offered to drop her at her place. Sam hopped home merrily and dashed at the book.