A hot summer afternoon

In the summer holidays after the 10^th board exams, Mandar visits Babu uncle, who has a large, beautiful bungalow in a small village near his hometown. Behind the bungalow, there is a large jamun tree, and the space is designed in a way that the cold shadow of the tree falls inside a small terrace-like section of the house, giving it a cozy vibe. It’s a yearly routine for all his family members and cousins to spend a week there in summer. Eating mangoes and melons.

One afternoon, after a heavy lunch, they are sitting on the terrace, resting. All his family members, including his mother, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters, are there. Laughing and having fun over a game of Monopoly. Sensing the heat, Apu Bhaiyya takes off his t-shirt and goes shirtless to make the heat bearable. He wipes his body and underarms with the t-shirt and throws it away. ‘That will make it better,’ he says.

Mandar looks at him and looks away at the game.

Seeing her younger son Yash sweating heavily, Mandar’s aunt suggests he take off his shirt too. Yash, who is an 8 y/o kid, does so. Just then, Mandar’s uncle comes there, shirtless, and sits beside him. His body is all hairy.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Mandar gets up and walks inside the house pretending that he wants to go to the washroom. He leans on the washroom door and takes a moment for himself, looking out of the window. Then, without peeing, he comes out. He washes his hands in the sink and wipes them with a napkin. Slowly, he walks back.

As he comes back, he sees his father sitting in the corner, having only his vest on. Looking at his mother, he sits down and continues to play. A moment later, he hears his father’s voice. ‘’Mandar, look how sweaty you have got! Take off the shirt to feel better!’

Drops of sweat begin to gather all over his body as he listens to this. Reluctantly, he turns his head toward his father and smiles dryly. He turns back toward the game and plays his turn without doing what his father said. He wins a lottery ticket in the game, and his uncle pats him on his back in excitement. He senses that Mandar’s back is wet with sweat.

‘Mandar, come on! Take off your shirt! You are soaking wet!’ he says. Mandar looks at him reluctantly, not knowing how to be. His t-shirt is now pretty wet. Mandar feels hot, not knowing if it is the summer or his shameful anxiety.

‘No, it’s ok! I’m fine.’ Mandar replies as naturally as he can. ‘Mandya, are you ashamed?’ Apu bhaiyya asks, laughing casually. Mandar, looking at his cynical laugh, immediately shakes his head and takes off his t-shirt.

The sweat-drops appear on the surface of his body more aggressively than ever. As if they are making their presence felt, Mandar senses each of them with a wave of nervousness flowing through his body. He awkwardly smiles, looking at Apu Bhaiyya. They continue to play the game as Apu Bhaiyya wins a lottery ticket.