Winter – it creeps in when you least expect it, with all the grace of an ex sliding back into your DMs. You've barely just settled into the rhythm of life, the heat simmering like unfinished grudges, when a sudden chill blows through the air, leaving you scrambling to dig out that one moth-eaten sweater. Sound familiar? Dhaka's winter knows how to leave an impression — and much like an ex, it's inconsistent, unpredictable, and makes you question every decision you've made in life.
At first, winter arrives like a pleasant surprise, a breath of fresh air in an otherwise suffocating routine. The cool breeze feels like the tender gestures your ex used to show, making you believe in change and possibilities. "It's different this time," you tell yourself as you layer up in a cardigan that smells like forgotten mothballs. But just when you've settled into enjoying those crisp evenings and cups of steaming cha, it starts ghosting you. Temperatures rise inexplicably, and you're left sweating through your thermal underwear, questioning every decision you've made. It's the classic hot-cold treatment, the same as those "we need to talk" text messages that end with "I just want to be friends."
In many ways, our winter is like that unreliable ex who promises stability but keeps sending mixed signals. One day, it gives you the chills that make you rummage for a second blanket; the next day, it has you debating whether to pack it away altogether. You step out, confident in a smart jacket you dug out from the depths of your wardrobe, only to find it's back to its warm, unpredictable self. And you, the foolish optimist, are left standing in a sweat patch, feeling betrayed. Again.
Winter also loves a dramatic exit — just like the kind that leaves you standing in the rain, except here it's the dry, bone-chilling wind that makes you curse your fate. "It's leaving?" you ask. Of course, it is! But not before a sudden, merciless drop in temperature that hits your bones like a cheap shot, making you run for shelter and question why you ever got involved. When it leaves, it's abrupt — there's no lingering warmth, no sign of commitment. Just memories of huddling for warmth and counting down days to its inevitable disappearance.
Just as your ex leaves you with lingering scars, winter doesn't spare your health either. It toys with your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable than a fresh heartbreak. The coughs, sniffles, and relentless cold-induced sneezing fits aren't just inconveniences; they're reminders that it never truly had your back. You think it's cuddles and snuggles, but the reality is sinus infections and herbal concoctions that taste worse than betrayal.
And let's not forget the accessories — the warm clothes, the blankets, the endless layering. All of this feels like trying too hard, doesn't it? Like overcompensating to make it work. Because deep down, you know winter won't stick around. It's a seasonal fling at best, and you'll have to go back to sweating through your daily commute soon enough.
Still, in our Dhaka-style resilience, we romanticise the winter. Just like we reminisce about that toxic ex during moments of loneliness. We forget the constant hot-and-cold treatment and focus instead on the brief flashes of happiness — the warm bhapa pitha, the nostalgic adda sessions around a makeshift batti, and the fashion statements that winter allows. In those fleeting moments, we convince ourselves it was worth it, even as we know it'll disappear without a trace soon.
So, here's to you, unpredictable winter. You come and go as you please, leaving us flustered, confused, and a little bit wiser. Just don't blame us if we're a little hesitant to trust you next time. After all, we've been burned before.
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