Sunday at Stone Mountain

The day starts off quiet and blue. The horizon warms up and a glow spreads across the top of the trees. Then the clouds arrive, slow at first and then faster. Patches of blue quickly disappear. Light disappears too. Then by midday, the process reverses itself, all the while ensuring that the temperature doesn't get too cold. But the midday sunlight, stretching its legs after an untimely slumber isn't very friendly towards photography. But I'd take light like that in India most happily. By evening, the clouds that remain upon the sky create the most dazzling sunset, the sun takes on a shrill shade of orange, without any of its heat. This has been the pattern for the last few days.

Hiked up to Stone mountain today and was rather disappointed by how short the climb was. The views from above were beautiful and the amount of greenery in the city most inspiring. I remember when I was briefly working out of our offices in Bangalore, I would be thrilled by the huge lengths of green viewable from the glass walled cafeteria on the 8th floor. The views from above the mountain takes it to a whole new level. Autumn is disappearing slowly and colours are now muted but one can take heart from the panoramic views. Walked around and explored the park a little and apart from being well maintained, it has many serene and beautiful views.

I am not given to regrets, but certain small matters often remain with me. For lunch we went to a diner at what looked like a primarily African-American neighbourhood. We had to stand in queue and pick up the items we wanted in a tray and at the end of the line would be given a bill, which was to be paid to the cashier while leaving the place after the meal. Usually tipping is rather high in this country and one gets used to it, but for this meal, hardly any intervention was required from the waitresses. We took the food on our own and that was it. So, when it came to paying the bill, the large lady at the counter asked, "Would you like to pay a tip, or are you Okay?" Without any hesitation, I said, I was ok! Then she proceeded to ask, "Was everything all right?" I said it was. Then she asked "Who was the waiter? Was she a hispanic woman...? where did you sit?" I told her yes and pointed to where I sat. Speaking of the hispanic woman, I remember her having come and asked us once during the meal, if everything was all right with the food and if we needed anything else. She was a lady with a kind face. So, at the cashier's I immediately regretted having refused to pay the tip, though I hadn't really required any service. But by then it was too late.

On another note, I haven't been particularly articulate with my words in the last few blips because I haven't had a lot of time. And I have had to substitute the lack of words with multiple images to give a clearer picture of the stories that unfolded during the day. I do believe less is more but I have been caught in between. Not a collage today, then.