105 Degrees Fahrenheit

Toothless smiles from grandmas old with age, sheepish grins from children with forced bob cuts, and curious stares from men of all ages lined the pot hole riddled streets of Madurai. The stifling heat kept most bugs at bay while cows, goats, dogs and people alike wandered the bustling streets edge. Whether it be in search of shade, a cool drink, biryani or a tailor to fit newly purchased fabrics, everyone moved lazily and with little urgency. The sultriness of the air made a quick saunter throughout the city impractical, as too much sweat would be lost at the cause of just another days strain. But the heat did not halt activity. Not in the slightest. Roadside stands pumped out bottle after bottle of cane juice, markets filled with fruits, sweets, and fresh cuts of mutton allowed people to buy their hearts contempt, and squatting women sold piles of fresh jasmine for a lady to mark her wealth through a fragrant centerpiece. But the roads were not the only place where people went about their day. The brightly colored cement buildings that sprouted from every open lot contained screams of children on leave from school, sighs of exhausted workers at a computers screen, and a cacophony of frustrated sweeping noises as mothers attempted to clean floors lined with years of settled dust. Life seemed to move slowly when hazy eyes watched the lopsided clock. But when time was not closely watched it slipped away just as quickly as it had come to let another day pass and a new one to begin. A usual day filled with much of the same stir, but a new day in all the same.