The skies had been cloudy for days. Perfect weather, they felt. It was perfect for a lot of things. Hot chocoate, tea and fried snacks, snuggling under the covers with a book.

Overcast skies, temperature not hot but not cold at all. Treks and weekend getaways turned romantic — movies, songs and other popular conventions demanded that.

Why do we have to work on beautiful days like these, said friends stepping out for coffee breaks more often than would be recommended. It remained like that. With rain clouds shadowing the sky, but no rain.

The dams didn’t fill and crops waited. The occasional drizzle didn’t really count.

In another part of the city, a girl put on a new helmet (a gift from friends who wanted her safe), got on a bicyle and hoped it would stay like that until she got to work.