Meit

Meit was pink and green and dancing. He moved amongst other rainbowed, flexing bodies, shimmering in the midday. 

There was a crowd; people on their lunch times pausing to watch the spectacle. They danced in circles, each taking a turn in the middle, singing the Hindi words over the top of thudding pop music. 

"This is Holi" Meit told me, when I asked what it was all about. 

"Tell me the story!" I tried to be heard over the music.

 "You want to know what it is about?"he asked grinning. "Yes!"

Meit dipped his fingers into powered dye of deep-mulberry pink and dusted my cheeks. "This is what it's about."

And he was off again, writhing to the middle of the throng. Specks of power fell from my face, settling to blush my chest as I smiled. I looked back to the watchers and the distance they granted those freed in celebration. I wore the colours for the rest of the day.