Chapter 3: chapter 3

Those twenty-one days were spent in the anticipation of the lifting of the lockdown. With a feeling of "This too shall pass", deep down in my heart, I was counting the days. Television news channels contributed their best in furnishing the country with the latest updates. At a point in time, it became hard to distinguish between rumours and reality. With all the local shops, supermarkets, schools, and colleges closed it was a challenge to exist. The government had given relaxation to the grocery and medical stores which came as a relief to the people but most of us had amply stocked our stores to avoid any snag in future. There was a widespread rumour that the stocks were not going to last for long as the citizens were procuring goods beyond measure. All the economic activities were on standstill and there were chances of supplies surpassing the demands. The entire activity outside came to a halt. My in-laws who stayed all day in their shops were confined to the four walls of the house. It was not easy for them being septuagenarians to live this kind of life. My mother-in-law who became an entrepreneur at the age of sixty had always complained, "You people enjoy a holiday on Sunday but there is no break for me and your papaji". Forthwith she had got uncountable holidays which bored her immensely. She declared," We will turn mad due to this uncertain lockdown, this uncanny virus is sucking our esprit." She desperately checked her mobile to look for the latest information on the release of the lockdown.My father-in-law passed his time listening to the news, reading newspapers, playing carrom with his grandsons and assisting my mother-in-law with some cleaning tasks. Sometimes he slipped out of the house with an exception of buying fruits. When any police constable interrupted his path, he produced his medical prescription and told him he is on his way to get his medicines. He made sure to wear his mask suitably. My father-in-law had been a heart patient, he had suffered two consecutive major heart attacks with two surgical stents operated on his heart. He was on lifelong medicines. Elders above the age of sixty were advised to stay strictly inside their homes as they were supposed to be the primary targets. The ones suffering from underlying diseases were warned to be extra cautious.There was fear and anxiety in every house. Even a cough or a sneeze was considered dangerous because it was considered one of the symptoms. I used to wash all the fruits and vegetables brought from outside after keeping them in isolation for a few hours. I insisted my boys upon washing their hands properly at regular intervals and did the same. We followed social distancing rigidly. I strictly advised my sons not to step out of the house and talk to their friends. The entire staff of my school and home were completely on leave. Although the virus had not yet reached our place, we lived in fear but again I felt, "Chaibasa is a small town, it is not a big city, and the virus will never find its way here."I was eagerly waiting for my school and college to re-open. Doing all the cooking, cleaning, washing, serving, and housekeeping all alone was getting on my nerves. I desperately wanted my helpers back to get rid of domestic chores at least. Keeping a check on the dashboard, we got to know the number of cases in different states, the number recovered and the record of the death rates. The numbers multiplied at humongous speed every day and it became a most despised chart for me.