LOCKDOWN – Part 1
Fiction Short Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Dramatis Personae
Husband – A Retired “Veteran” – a gregarious
“outdoors” type person.
Wife – a Career Woman – presently “working from
home” due to Lockdown.
22 March 2020 – 7:30
AM
Wife: “Where are you going…?”
Husband: “I am going for my usual morning walk. Today
is Sunday – I’ll get some breakfast – Idli, Wada and Dosa on my way back – so –
we both can enjoy…”
Wife: “You can’t go out – today is “Janata Curfew”
from 7 AM to 9 PM – and it is already 7:30 AM…”
Husband: “To hell with all this bullshit – I am going
out…”
(The Veteran Husband walks out of the house and
goes for his customary daily morning walk. He returns one hour later – in a
foul mood)
Husband: “Bloody Nonsense – everything is closed – even
the restaurant – so – I couldn’t get any breakfast. And – there are some
youngsters roaming around asking shops to close down – some even asked me why I
was outside…”
Wife: “I told you not to go out – there is a “Janata
Curfew” – everyone has to stay at home…”
Husband: “Isn’t it voluntary…?”
Wife: “You know how things are – why risk your life
and limb by going out…?”
Husband: “Then what happens to my golf…?”
Wife: “Golf…?”
Husband: “I have scheduled at “Tee-Off” at 11 AM with
my course-mates. I have even booked Uber Cab to pick me up at 10 o’clock. After
golf – we were supposed to have our customary Sunday Beer and Lunch at the club…”
Wife: “You better cancel all your plans for today
and stay at home – I am sure the golf club will be closed – and – Uber Cabs may
not be running – and – even if you manage to go – you may get stuck somewhere –
I told you – it’s “Janata Curfew” – it’s best to stay at home and remain safe…”
Husband: “That means our customary senior-citizens
evening get-together is off too…?”
Wife: “Yes – the curfew is till 9 PM – so – you just
remain at home…”
(So – the Veteran Husband cancels all his
Sunday Plans – and – he remains at home – observing “Janata Curfew”…)
22 March 2020 – 4:45
PM
Wife: “Come on – you lazy man – let’s go to the
balcony…”
Husband: “Balcony…? It’s still quite sunny. And – why
are you carrying that Thali and
Tablespoon…?”
Wife: “Don’t you know…? We are all supposed to stand
in our balconies and bang utensils – or – you can clap if you want – better
still – why don’t you blow your Conch Shell – blow the one you got from the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. That Conch makes a good sound…”
Husband: “You want me to blow a Conch Shell – do “Shankh Naad”…?”
Wife: “Yes. Why not…? It is an auspicious occasion”
Husband: “Auspicious occasion…?”
Wife: “Yes. Corona Virus…”
Husband: “How can “Corona Virus” be auspicious…?”
Wife: “Not “Corona Virus” you stupid man – it is the
beginning of the war against Corona Virus. We are supposed stand in our
balconies and clap our hands, banging, ringing bells utensils etc for 5 minutes
to express our gratitude and give a standing ovation to all those providing
essential services during the fight against Corona Virus. Come on – don’t be a
“spoilsport” – you are a Veteran – you must join all of us citizens in this…”
(“Okay – Okay…” the Veteran says – and – he
joins his wife in their balcony. At 5 PM – for 5 minutes – as she beats the
thali with a tablespoon – he blows his conch – the “Shankh Naad” reverberating
in the atmosphere…)
24 March – 8 PM
Husband: “Did you see the TV…? They have announced a “Lockdown”
from midnight. Total curfew – everything closed – we have to remain in our
houses…”
Wife: “Really…? I think our maid had some inkling of
this – she has gone to her village…”
Husband: “Our maid has gone away…? And – you allowed her
to go away…?”
Wife: “Who am I to allow or not allow…? She didn’t
say anything in the morning. Then – in the afternoon – she called up to say
that she was scared of catching Corona Virus – so she was going away to their
village where they were safe from Corona Virus...”
Husband: “What nonsense…? Isn’t she safer here…?”
Wife: “She is right. Corona Virus has been imported
from abroad – so – it is more likely that maids get infected if the person they
work for has returned from abroad…”
Husband: “But – we haven’t been abroad…”
Wife: “She works in many houses – mostly in houses
of IT “Techies” – and many of them frequently travel abroad. Someone must have
returned from abroad – so – the maid may have got scared – and – there are so
many rumors floating around – she was saying that most people living near her
house were going back to their villages – a sort of exodus…”
Husband: “I think the “Janata Curfew” must have
triggered the exodus – these people are street-smart and canny – they could
predict the “Lockdown” – whereas we didn’t have a clue…”
Wife: “Anyway – forget about the maid. You go down
and get some milk and other things we urgently need – I will give you a list…”
Husband: “Now…? At night…?”
Wife: “Yes. It is 9 PM now – and – everything will
be shut down from midnight onwards – shops may not open tomorrow – so you
better go fast…”
(Husband goes down to the neighborhood grocery
shop. He returns after one hour…)
Wife: “Why did you take so long…?”
Husband: “There was a huge rush – panic buying – total chaos
– but – I managed to push my way through – and – I have got everything you
wanted – except milk – which had finished – so – I got a large packet of milk
powder…”
(And so –
at midnight of 24/25 March 2020 – the COVID-19 Lockdown started – 21 Days of
strict Lockdown)
To Be Continued...
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
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