Missed the Vodafone Crossword Award

Missed the Vodafone Crossword Award at the NCPA today because there weren't any cabs to take me there. Hurriedly finished work thinking of going and encouraging some friends but when I got out of office the streets were a bleak cabless vista of puddles and stray people stooping under their umbrellas, afraid of the rain, afraid of getting wet. But then Bombay rain does that to you. It's been raining continuously for two months now. Soon I guess it will be like Marquez's novel "One Thousand Years of Solitude" in which it rains continuously for four years in a certain country (he doesn't mention which). But then how do I know from a windowless office that it is raining outside? When it rains Bombay cabbies like to play truant. I should have some kind of device to see where these guys are when it rains. May be sitting somewhere and drinking rum. I once saw a cabby sipping from a bottle kept in the glove compartment. I think they should be penalised for driving or whatever when they are sitting in some bar when it rains outside. But that would be unreasonable, no?

Outside V.T. saw an unusual crowd of young people milling around. All goodlooking ones too. Wondered what was happening. Met my friend in train who said his son is attending "Malhar," the college festival at St. Xaviers College. So that's it. I have never attended Malhar, so, am wondering what Malhar would be like. Anyone?