<p>Now, with the onset of rains, the one thing in my mind is having an umbrella ready for use whenever I venture outdoors.</p>.<p>The umbrella used to be an inseparable appendage for me not too long ago. Day and night, fair or foul the weather, the primly folded umbrella would be there in my hands, whenever I sallied forth outdoors. It’s not so with me these days, however. The prospect of holding a brolly in my hands outdoors now gives me a scare and shivers! As a matter of fact, my own indiscretion is to be blamed.</p>.<p>One day, at the end of the club anniversary, I rushed out to fetch my portable umbrella from among the many, arranged on the stands. Grabbing a portable Bumbershoot — I learnt about its name while I was living in Dallas, Texas in the USA — I stepped out, sprinting forward hurriedly. But I was soon pulled back by someone hollering angrily at me.</p>.<p>I turned back in wonderment to see what was the commotion about. There was a hefty, bald guy sporting a fierce moustache, gesticulating wildly at me, pointing to the umbrella in my hand. It took a few seconds for me, the dunderhead that I am, to realise that I had helped myself to a brand-new umbrella instead of my own not-so-brand-new. </p>.<p>Haste makes for waste. It's an old adage. I handed over the unintended loot, apologising profusely. But the corpulent guy wasn't impressed about my honesty of purpose, I could see. What with the way he regarded me, sizing me up and down suspiciously. And this wasn’t destined to be the end of the matter. More was there in store for me to come during the following days.</p>.<p>Later, with the outbreak of rains, it was time all the gamps at home were repaired and got ready for use in times of need. I retrieved eight or ten of them, lying in the attic, and gave them to the tinkersmith for fixing them up. And even as I was carrying back home all those umbrellas later, there he was, of all in the world, the very same corpulent guy with his fierce moustache, glaring at me all the more fiercely.</p>.<p>What a predicament this, for one to be regarded as a habitual pilferer of umbrellas! I needed quite a few days to live down the ignominy of all this. What a fix!</p>
<p>Now, with the onset of rains, the one thing in my mind is having an umbrella ready for use whenever I venture outdoors.</p>.<p>The umbrella used to be an inseparable appendage for me not too long ago. Day and night, fair or foul the weather, the primly folded umbrella would be there in my hands, whenever I sallied forth outdoors. It’s not so with me these days, however. The prospect of holding a brolly in my hands outdoors now gives me a scare and shivers! As a matter of fact, my own indiscretion is to be blamed.</p>.<p>One day, at the end of the club anniversary, I rushed out to fetch my portable umbrella from among the many, arranged on the stands. Grabbing a portable Bumbershoot — I learnt about its name while I was living in Dallas, Texas in the USA — I stepped out, sprinting forward hurriedly. But I was soon pulled back by someone hollering angrily at me.</p>.<p>I turned back in wonderment to see what was the commotion about. There was a hefty, bald guy sporting a fierce moustache, gesticulating wildly at me, pointing to the umbrella in my hand. It took a few seconds for me, the dunderhead that I am, to realise that I had helped myself to a brand-new umbrella instead of my own not-so-brand-new. </p>.<p>Haste makes for waste. It's an old adage. I handed over the unintended loot, apologising profusely. But the corpulent guy wasn't impressed about my honesty of purpose, I could see. What with the way he regarded me, sizing me up and down suspiciously. And this wasn’t destined to be the end of the matter. More was there in store for me to come during the following days.</p>.<p>Later, with the outbreak of rains, it was time all the gamps at home were repaired and got ready for use in times of need. I retrieved eight or ten of them, lying in the attic, and gave them to the tinkersmith for fixing them up. And even as I was carrying back home all those umbrellas later, there he was, of all in the world, the very same corpulent guy with his fierce moustache, glaring at me all the more fiercely.</p>.<p>What a predicament this, for one to be regarded as a habitual pilferer of umbrellas! I needed quite a few days to live down the ignominy of all this. What a fix!</p>