This is day 16 of the Lockdown in Goa as we started on 22nd March with the Janata Curfew and did not open up after that. In the past few weeks, much before the Lockdown started, ever since I had of the first case in India on 30th January, I have been sure at least a hundred times that I have been infected. Something gets stuck in my throat and I cough or I sneeze due to some strange smell or is that a fever? Each time I start on that train of thought, my heart begins to thud very loudly. I go over all that I have done in the last two weeks and try to list everyone I have met. So far it has only been worry and fear.
No, I am not worried about the virus. I am quite used to looking after myself when I am unwell. When the symptoms start, I cook a lot of rice, make rasam to last 4 days, get a loaf of bread and I am set. I get a packet of milk delivered home each day - so there is always fresh coffee and curd. And I sleep out the illness. So that is exactly what I will try to do this time as well if the virus catches me. And several friends who have first hand experience of the virus, from someone in their family getting it have told me that it need not be terrible. However, what about the people I infect? That is the only thought that forces me to keep away from friends.
So it was with some guilt that I went to meet a couple of friends on Sunday evening. The plan came up quite suddenly and we were to be 3 of us, all living alone. We felt that even if we did fall ill, we wouldn’t be passing on the virus to others. I drove slowly, still worried about the cops and their lathis. Pomburpha and Aldona were very quiet. As I moved further towards the Highway, there was more traffic, especially of two-wheelers. On the Highway, I saw a police patrol car and furiously ran through stories in my head - I am going to meet my sister after two weeks; she is ailing; she is paralysed sounds better; see this basket of food is for her; oh damn the basket also has alcohol in it. Luckily the cops were busy with their phones and didn’t even look up!
Further ahead, there was another cop waving his lathi - but he wasn’t hitting anyone. Seemed to be doing his exercises! I slowed down so he wouldn’t think I was try to escape, avoided eye contact with him and drove on. I decided to take a different route on the way back.
The evening was relaxed and we sat well apart as we chatted. There was a bit of a furore as a python was discovered in a neighbouring field - everyone swore it was at least 20 feet long. Poor fellow crept into a pipe and we were at peace again.
Earlier in the day, a friend had asked me when I had last been hugged. Just being asked that brought up the longing in me for human contact. In my family, we do not hug each other. We hug friends with fervour, but not each other. Maybe that is why I love to hug and get hugged back in return. It energises me when I feel low. No way I can get a physical hug in a couple of months at least! I’ll make do with all the virtual hugs on Facebook and WhatsApp, especially in response to this blog - keep sending them my way!
Right now there are only 7 confirmed cases in Goa. I am sure that as this number rises, with test results coming in and more testing done, the lockdown will be stricter.
I am glad so many of you are reading my blog and responding to it. I understand that you are still not able to post comments. No, I don’t have any censorship in place - I have not blocked those who I think will post negative comments, believe me! There is some problem with Blogger and that may be connected to the fact that Google Plus is winding down. I just learnt this and I am trying to figure out how to set this right. I am not too tech savvy and so I will take a few days to learn how to get around this. If any of you know better, please message me directly.
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