Apropos

-with reference to

A Wonderful Morning

“I shall be back by Breakfast”, I told my Dad and left home early, much before the sun could wake up and bathe out of the Bay of Bengal. I took a long walk, longest in years, I should say.  Sixteen miles from home, precisely, one-way. To find my bicycle that was lying exactly where I left it astray.  Strode back home like breeze. My bike had no air, was free-wheeling by far.  To me it is, as always, loyal and fair.

I was indeed prepared to face the many challenges that I had imagined on my way. But I wasn’t prepared to come back unscathed and say that I hadn’t faced any. Life has become eventful. Not a day passed by without hearing about one demise or somebody getting beaten or killed or another being arrested or someone gone missing.

What time of the year, month or day. Hardly anybody could say or were worried about. All days were the same. Life has become so tough, that each one is surviving by the day. Things have gone so weird that strife is the new norm.

It was 3AM when I started from home. Nowadays, this is the time, when people really settled on bed. Though there are fewer left, it is difficult to stay away from the prying eyes, lest get punished for stepping out, if not found by the stray and hungry dogs on the roads.

I got reminded while still pondering on myriad thoughts, “I should reach home before anyone stops me”. Nobody really knows as to what really happens when caught wandering the restricted hours.  If things are so bad, you might be wondering why I was taking such risks for my bicycle. Before I tell you anything about bicycle, you would be more keen to know as to what is happening around, which world am I in.

Take a Breath

Let me take a breath. I hid myself behind the next Gulmohar tree on the road. It was a sight to see its red hairy flowers strewn across the wide roads. These roads weren’t so barren a year ago. Neither would I get some breathing space on this particular road. It used to be crowded, so crowded, that we may have to step on another’s feet while walking.  Now, everything has turned upside down or should I say down side up.

For those, who were hibernating, here is what happened a year ago.

We were a 10 million strong city a year ago. But weren’t that strong, really.  How could one call oneself strong, if one was so hollow inside and couldn’t survive a cold. Many like me who are now alive, just made it so far, by sheer obedience or adherence to what had been told to us by our elders, elders in the community, elders in the echelons of governance and elders who took educated decisions.  Now, twelve months later, the numbers in the city have dwindled to fewer lakhs. Many had left, tracing their roots to any remote village that they had once considered uninhabitable.  Those who remained had nowhere to go or had really waited for the tide to turn.

False Airs

It had started with news of a nasty disease that was spreading in the air like wildfire.  People were too busy about their livelihood that a vast majority ignored the early warnings.  Either fell prey to it or became couriers delivering the disease to various destinations.   Soon many fell dead like flies to pesticides.  It took enormous efforts to educate the literates about it. It took time to realize that what came is real and imminent danger.  The stalwarts on economy had been way too strong to believe or contain it.  By the time they woke up to reality, it had vaporized people by the thousands, which later turned to a million.

Grounded Reality

By six months, after a million and a half deaths, the loss of lives came down but never zeroed. No one around the globe could claim of eradication. Every country got so grounded to reality that each one had started living by the day.  Universally true, what we sow, we do reap. We had literally choked the cities of air, water and nature as a whole. So, now, we choked for the very air, when the disease had deprived us of air to breathe.   Not until recently, we could make some headway in research and have found some antidotes, not a complete cure for the ailment. We are quite relieved that we could contain the virus to an extent. But society has changed into a paranoid monster.

Paranoid Society

As I said earlier, many moved back to villages to find their peace and solace, away from the now crazy crowds. Migrant workers had migrated back to where they came from.  Those who remained had to take up jobs that they came across, earning a living and thus ended up doing different things. Most of the businesses were converted to agrarian or allied businesses. Cities went dysfunctional, into disarray and disorder, when people ran away for their lives, turning their backs.  Many industries chose liquidity over equity.  Some like us clung to the city, having nowhere to go, ran errands and falsely claim to be maintaining a legacy.   Community had to take up policing. Bouncers were aplenty. Many among this did not hesitate to loot, conspiring amongst themselves that “the owners had left”.  All should remain indoors when the clock strikes 12 noon. Rules were very harsh and punishment far too discretionary.  No one dared to face them.

Less Demand and Lesser Supplies

Life became dearer because of the disease and more-so by disciplinarians and their punishments had toned down our needs and thus, the supplies became scarcer.  We found luxury in meeting the bare necessities. Demand and supply, both came down drastically. Could not really make out whether we are happy or sad. But whatever had happened to us is undoubtedly bad.

Bicycle

While we ran out of stock for the basics, we came closer to the people dearer to us. Sentiments and values had sprouted during this matter of months.  What’s in my bicycle that I am risking so much, you may ask. This is my favourite, my Dad had gifted this to me some sixteen years ago, my precious possession. Also, after the pandemic, bicycle is the most preferred mode of transport.

During the early days of the outbreak, on that fateful Sunday, I was ordered to abandon my bicycle and board a lorry along with a couple of my friends. We were dropped -near our houses. Our outing of that day came to an abrupt end.  Since then I had been looking forward to a day-break, to bring my old companion back. The later days did not allow me out of my parents’ safety curbs. Having seen some relief in the air and some sense prevail, I did get their consent but just until breakfast.

I reached our home on time, “I’m hungry, where’s my breakfast”.

Apropos – Covid19 @ Corono, the dreaded pandemic.