CORONATIMES: JARRED WISHES

“What is the first thing you’d do, once this is all over?” We ask.

We answer, as if we know.

We make lists.

Knowing full well we know nothing of the times that are to come.

Suddenly we want to go visit that friend we haven’t kept in touch with since that last day before the Boards, and we don’t care how big the airfare is.

For flights aren’t flying anymore.

Only birds, in the sky.

And clouds.

We know little, anymore.

No Google, no Wikipedia can quench our thirst.

Something swells inside.

Something that-cannot-be-named.

All we know for now is that it is big, very big. Bigger than we can perceive.

It is so big that we have forgotten to be proud anymore.

It is so big that it has even stretched our hearts out.

We stay locked inside, but we raise our hands up at the first opportunity to help others, now.

It is so big.

It is so big that we are ready to share half our parachutes with our neighbours.

Heck, even with our enemies.

For suddenly the rules have changed in the game.

And now we can be saved only if we save them too.

In the middle of surprise texts, recycled water and one course meals…

We jar wishes, prayers and hopes.

They might just come true…

“What is the first thing you’d do, once this is all over?” We ask.

We answer, as if we know.

It is the virus, we tell each other.

We pretend we don’t know the truth.

We keep tricking us.

Like clouds that won’t rain but promise, all the time.

Because not to know is the only antidote we know.

In such times.

It is the virus, we tell each other.

We follow news, count numbers, run simulations where dots strike dots.

Change colours. Red, blue, grey…

And suddenly we realize, these too are man-made.

Numbers, colours, news…

Outside…

The sky is azure.

Hush up, and listen.

There, the earth reboots.

Runs the scan.

It will take time, but it will figure it out.

The virus.

And for all we know…

For all of us know but not tell each other…

The virus could be us.

(Pic sourced from the internet)