Of November rains & other diversions

With the onset of autumn, celebratory mood isn't far behind. And I happen to have surrounded myself with scorpions and saggitarians; so mood of festivites is high.
On the eve of my birthday however, things started going downhill. Firstly, I had a bout of vertigo from the continual draft from the chilled a/c.
The cancer awareness program I'd arranged in office gathered a poor response which meant i 'd to stick until the end. By then, my head was reeling, and threw myself into a cab heading home.
There was not an iota of me with any celebratory mood. And things grew darker by the minute. The first SMS came from a friend enquiring if I knew of any firing in town, in turn warning me to be careful. Messages soon started pouring in, online, offline and through voice. By the time we hit midnight, sorrow and concern laced everthing. A few friends rang up for the customary wishes, but with our city being ruthlessly ravaged, there was little space for niceties.
I woke up to blaring news with updates of the 3 hostile locations from the building across the street. Office was skipped for an appointment with an ENT, who seemed to be in a jolly mood that morning. Perhaps he had other things going for him than just the fear gripping every heart.
Everywhere there was death, destruction, life severed at its prime. The places I had frequented during occassions of celebration, had  turned into deathbeds. Will I ever be able to visit the Gateway of India without a chill passing down my spine?
It doesn't help that I personally know relations of those who lost lives.

Life, life will never be the same, again.