Last night I dreamt I went back to office again (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and later a Hitchcock film starring Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine)

So this morning, having pulled down my bag from the top cupboard I set out, confident that the good times will return (Saritha in final scene in Vandichakkaram)

This despite the fact that the wife expressed her doubts (like Jakkamma in Veerapandiya Kattabomman)

On entering the office the watchmen came running to greet me (like Chittoor V Nagiah who played the faithful old servitor in countless films like Uyarntha Manithan)

“Don’t come near!” I screamed like TK Shanmugam playing Subramanya Siva in Kappalottiya Tamilan. Like in the film we all shed tears at seeing each other again.

On seeing the leaves and billowing dust in the entrance courtyard, I was reminded of Guru Dutt in Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (Badi Haveli! Kya shan thi iski)

Then, I climbed up the steps, pausing to wipe the dust from a window like Rekha in the final scene in Umrao Jan (Yeh kya jagah hai doston?)

Having come into office I literally bathed in disinfectant like Visu in Samsaram athu Minsaram.

Firmly blocking out Harindranath Chattopadhyay (from Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam again) – Yeh haveliyaan nahin rahengi! bhaag!  bhaag! bhaag! – I firmly plonked myself in my seat.

I am back in business like Rukmini Bai in Mandi (Shabhana Azmi).

It feels like a new beginning. God knows what the future will bring (Motilal in Mr Sampath)

Tomorrow is another day (Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O Hara in Gone with the Wind)