One Micron Life
To be honest, I hadn’t really taken the ‘That-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named’ virus seriously at all, even though it freakingly fitted with every word of the prediction made by a competent clairvoyant back in the 1960s. A well meaning friend had shared the snapshot of the page from the book that contained this prophesy. For me though, it was nothing more than yet another of a health outbreak that had manifested itself in some part of the world, causing another round of inconvenience. But that was only until I found myself standing in front of a thermal screening gun at work.
It seemed all very funny that we had to first ‘get shot’ by the gun for a temperature check, then rub into our hands, generous portions of sanitizer and only after that get to our respective work areas. I would joke about it being some kind of a pre historic religious ritual for ‘purification’, as I took the elevator. But the nervous glances that I received in response made me realize that, apart from me everybody else was regarding it as otherwise. As if ‘The Virus’ was just waiting around the corner to jump onto you, just as you stepped
out.
Soon, the number of people coming to office began to dwindle at an alarming rate, having opted to work from home. As an introvert, I loved the fact that I would be spared the presence of so many people. Though the eerie silence that accompanied it seemed to be speaking of disbelief and distrust in fellow humans; as if asking, ‘Am I going to be the next chosen one?’
I hoped that my upcoming annual leave would be a welcome respite from all this chatter. Little did I know that weeks of lockdown, starting from day one of my vacation was awaiting me.
I went from waking up wishing that all this was just not true to feeling apologetic at finding myself alive, while so many around the world transitioned out of life. It didn’t feel right to be alive. Oh, if only the virus would just go away!
But as per the aforementioned clairvoyant, the virus would disappear as mysteriously as it had appeared. Hmph!
Until then, doing everything-from-home while staying physical distant from everyone else, awaiting updates from the Government and watching to WHO briefings was going to be the new way of life.
In the meantime, I could think about taming my will power, feel responsible for
humanity, accept that what I do and who I am doesn’t really matter at all and acknowledge that, indeed, mercy of a higher power is the only answer. Nothing else matters. We better grasp that soon, lest aliens invading us in future get the chance to wonder, ‘Whatever else mattered.’