Covid time has forced us to remember one very important thing in life. Everything is uncertain. We don’t have enough time as we think we have, there is no later. Let’s stop the meaningless race and try to think if we have left anything incomplete.
Did you forget to tell anyone how much you have loved them? Did we forget to solve any silly fight? Did we forget to revive any dying relationship? Did we forget to forgive someone? Did we forget to say sorry to anyone? Did we forget to feel gratitude for what we have? Did we forget to love ourselves? Did we forget to be happy? Did we forget to live our life till now? Before it’s too late. Try to sort out the things when you have time.
I clenched my teeth and tightened the grip on the television remote until my hands became numb. “What happened Raj? Is everything alright?“ My wife’s voice seemed distant at this moment. I was so angry to answer. She came near me and tapped my shoulder to get my attention.
I pointed at the television and shouted at the top of the voice “Are they even humans? Due to a few people like this, we are doubting the humanity nowadays. Even animals are more compassionate than us”
She looked at the television and said with a deep sigh “This is today’s reality. you can’t change everyone out there. The only thing you can do at this moment is to try something to get it out of your mind “ “What can I do? ” I asked a simple yet complicated question. She tapped at my forehead and said with a smile “You have to find it out if that is bothering you so much”. I smiled back at her and replied “You surprised me today. I was expecting regular dialogue like this ” I playfully mimicked her voice ‘You shouldn’t go out at such times. Corona cases are getting crazily increasing day by day’
She tried to maintain the composure in her voice and said “I know. But someone has to do that. This is unavoidable”
I turned her around looking straight at her eyes and asked “Are you sure? Won’t you be sad if anything happens to me ?“
She looked tensed for a moment then gained her composure and smiled at me and said jokingly “You know, I am kind of bored looking at your face 24*7 and want some peace in the house without the television’s sound”. She added with more confidence ” Don’t worry you will be fine, nothing will happen to you” I thought for a while and started saying “I think I should get some…” As if reading my mind she hurried towards the kitchen to pack foods before I said it aloud.
I got ready properly for going out, it’s been months since I had done that. I had worn my favourite dress, belt and put on my deodorant.
I went to the kitchen to check on the things. She has put on her invisible chef’s hat and made everything ready as I would expect. Her care always moves my heart.
Getting used to the new normal I put on the mask, packed my sanitizer and also got the things she had packed. My car was dusty for being kept in the garage for a long time. After some struggle, the car started. I clutched the steering wheel tight, the deserted road was adding more fear of corona. No one was on the sight. I was driving mindlessly and the music was adding rhythm to my thoughts. There were only a few checkpoints on my way. I moved on easily after showing my e-pass. Suddenly I saw a group of monkeys fighting over the food spilt near the garbage bin and stopped the car at a distance. I got down, opened my food boxes and kept them at the side of the road. Monkeys were staring at me. I expected the monkeys to move close to me, But ages of aggression have taught them well. I sighed and started driving slowly and looking at the rear mirror. Monkeys were sniffing the food and started eating hurriedly. I wondered how long they had been hungry. I looked at the remaining food packets and drove on to other roads in the hope of finding more monkeys. This place used to be a tourist spot, monkeys had no issue with the food then. But now the time is very unpredictable, not sure of the future, at least as long as I can, I will do this daily from now on. My mind was remembering the disturbing news I had heard today, where one person was hitting the monkey for eating his spilt over food and killed it by hanging in the nearby tree. It’s true, In our busy lives even we don’t have time to think of the fellow human beings. But someone should think of these animals and be compassionate, even if we can’t help, we shouldn’t harm them. That’s a true way of giving back to society and the proof that we have our 6th sense.
I was lying lazily flapping my big ears probably half-asleep lost in my thoughts. When my master first brought me here from my home, I was missing everything there. I would close my eyes and imagine being there in dense forest with loads of food and the refreshing river water with my family. Even once I tried to find my way back, But I couldn’t remember much, as I was very young back then. My owner used to control me with a stick and tied me with the chain. Here food is very limited and also he gives me when he wants to, not when I am hungry. I wish someday I get the chance to find my family and to be with them. But later I got used to this place. It was kind of fun to see the kids jump at my sight shouting “See ! there’s an elephant”. I was pulled to present with the sudden commotion around me. My master was packing everything and leaving somewhere in a hurry with his family. I noticed with a sigh that he didn’t keep any food for me. I asked myself can I go somewhere in search of the food. I looked at my legs, luckily in the hurry to leave, He had forgotten to tie me with the chain. I got up with tremendous effort carrying my gigantic body. I moved out of the house and started walking slowly.
In the past, these streets used to be crowded with people. There were some functions I would go with my master, kids happily rode on me, people got my blessings and gave me bananas or a piece of paper which my master took it with joy. He never let me go anywhere alone. He always clutched my chains in his firm hand and forced me to go with him.
Today I am walking on my own without anyone to control me. Finally, I found some hope to fulfil my wish. My legs were eagerly taking me forward towards the forest. Streets were empty and all the doors were closed. I wondered where did humans go? I hadn’t spotted even one person. It felt strange. On the way, the banana smell was wafting in the air momentarily distracting me from the nearby farm. Cautiously I looked around making sure no one was there to shoo me away. I went inside and had loads of bananas until my stomach was full. I hoped that should hold off my hunger for some days. Dogs were encouraging me to go fast, Did they increase in numbers from the last time I remembered? I wondered. The summer heat was intolerable so I went into the river and cheerfully started bathing. My body felt energetic after this refreshing bath. While leaving the village, I noticed some closely packed houses. Then a small girl squeaked from a window pointing at me. Unknowingly I felt happy like my good old days. I had some pressing questions in my mind, why were they all inside the house? why won’t she come out to ride on me? I went close to the house and tried to tell her silent goodbye before leaving. I tried to trespass the gate. It collapsed completely as I tried to move further inside. But I got confused and mentally swore ‘ I had merely touched them’. The pleased look on her face got changed into fear. It was hilarious how these humans used to control me with a small stick. But now they were scared of something and have locked themselves inside the house. Did anyone more powerful than humans exist? I moved towards the forest, with every step my heartbeat was increasing in excitement. Trees were happily welcoming me home. I went deep inside the forest to embrace nature and to breathe the freedom in the air.
Today the world is completely different from the one we had known all these years. We can’t go out as we please or can’t stay close to the people as we used to do. We are hearing and trying to apply new terms to our dictionary ‘Social distancing’. We are forced to let go of the things we used to do like partying, gymming and roaming around. Now we are filtering out the need from the wish and fun. If animals are moving back to the comfortable and natural habitat and the environment is self-cleansing, then can we do this to ourselves? Look around you and filter out the unneeded things from your life without which you can live as usual. Look inside your mind and try to do something that you have always wanted to do but was procrastinating because of not having time. Now its time, so start digging up and explore your wishes.
Saranya 