Car Cleaning & Smoking Cigarettes: The Mere Game Of Perspective
“Delhi extends lockdown till May 3 as pandemic rages”
This is the first thing I saw when I woke up today.
It’s a mere notification from Inshorts. And to be honest, this is how every morning these days, starts. Either with news of lockdown or with somebody’s death.
Sorry to be this blunt, but there’s no nicer way to say it. This second wave of coronavirus has been taking lives like… well, like all these lives are merely just LIFE(s).
Though when I think of it, this new wave isn’t just merely taking lives; it’s affecting. Yes, that’s it! This second wave of COVID is AFFECTING.
Each and every one of us.
Even the ones, who are unaffected are affected by it. Affected by this mere grief.
The grief of losing people we know or we didn’t know. Not being able to help anyone with time.
The scar of asking for leads on crematoriums. Psst…
The question is what can YOU do to feel better in such times?
How can you make sure to not let this guilt, you’ve inside you?
What to do to not let anything that’s happening out there affect you?
Well, this isn’t a self-help (or self-care) blog, so don’t expect me to write anything about it here. Though if you want to read HOW? Then, read this one short post I saw on LinkedIn this morning, here.
After reading the news of lockdown, I locked my phone and put it aside.
Got out of bed.
Took a cigarette out from the drawer.
Open the door of the balcony.
Looked for the lighter.
Went out on the balcony and lit the cigarette.
A lockdown is what it is, indeed.
I can hear the kids of the neighbor playing either cricket or french beside my building. Along with that, there are these guys (mind you, without masks) selling groceries and fruits around the three-way junction.
I heard this group of rickshaw walas gossiping about how Modi is trying to help in the best way he can but nobody can fight disease. They must have heard this on some news channel. Because, it’s us who have got the liberty to choose our news sources, they don’t!
Anyways, amidst all this mere chaos, I saw a guy in the dress of a security guard, cleaning a car. It was a blue color, Maruti Suzuki Baleno.
Since the moment I lit my cigarette, he’s been wiping the car with a dirty cloth (just an Indian thing 🤷♂️). I think, he’s been doing so for more than 15–20 minutes now, as my second cigarette is about to get finished and he’s still wiping that car.
“Theek se saaf kar,” shouted a guy, who I think is the owner of the car. “Dhang se kar, peeche se aur bonnet ke paas,” he shouted again.
