Elenka and I came out of our cabina moments after a school of dolphins swam by yesterday . Elenka saw Biru, our waiter, walking up from the shore and rushed over to speak with him as I ordered a milk Nescafe. Moments later she came back with an ear-to-ear smile:

"Biru swam with the dolphins," she said, proud of our favourite waiter.

I took a sip of my just delivered hot brew and smiled at Elenka. In the two times that we've been to India neither of us have ever seen an Indian swim. Dolphins don't as a rule come very close to shore. And, although Biru has the English menu items memorized, we cannot converse with him beyond breakfast, lunch and dinner. I said as much.

“Well that's what he told me,” Elenka said, raising her arms to the sky. “Even these wonderful waves can't wash away your negativity.” She walked away shaking her head.

I continued drinking my coffee and began to envision the conversation that went on between Elenka and Biru:

“Did you see the dolphins, Biru?”

“Dolphins?”

 

Elenka might then have made Flipper sounds, or shown with her hands the action of dolphins gliding out and then back under the water.

“Dolphins, yes. Dolphins swim,” Biru may have said, pointing to the sea. “I swim.”

“You swam with the dolphins, Biru?”

“Dolphins swim, I swim.”

When I eventually returned to our cabina, Elenka had all but forgotten about my negative attitude. I kept my thoughts of Biru and the dolphins to myself.