Corona-friendly

When Vegetable Yam is not itchy to the very yam why a kitchen knife that cuts through the Yam should be feeling itchy? Well, this was the closest I could translate Telugu saying: “Kanda Ku Leni Durada Kattipeeta Ku Enduku?” This adage comes to mind when some people get duly concerned and question staying indoors almost 24/7 since the appearance of the first corona case in India about a year ago.  They wonder if I wouldn't get claustrophobic. I tell them I don't feel that way and I am happy by myself and always at peace with myself and the world alone. I am never lonely since I love my company like I loved whatever company that gave me a job in the past. I love physical as well as the metaphysical company of myself and others.  From the moment I started my semi-retired life as a freelancer working from home on my computer, there was practically no need to go out either before or after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. As usual, I continued availing the door delivery services more so now on a contactless basis where available. Since I'm above 65 years of age besides being fortunate to have a couple of good Samaritan young help on the block to run errands for me either out of goodwill or due to the courtesy of being compensated either humbly or adequately. 

I feel adequate despite being at home all the time. The major takeaway in the process is I can avoid my culpability as a contact /susceptibility as a victim to the still mysterious coronavirus to a greater extent. During the atrocious year under review, I happened to go out to the non-medical conglomerations (Language of WHO) on a handful of occasions due to compelling reasons after taking adequate precautions and following Covid-19 protocol and hygiene. 

I'm fully aware that I'm not exempt from being infected with the novel coronavirus even after taking all the care in the world. The word care means different to different people since caution is subjective to its adequacy. For some, 6 feet distance is ideal and for some giving a peck on the cheek is safer than a deep kiss to avoid exposure. The point is one should not be overly anxious to the level of being paranoid despite having followed all the published and common sense-driven precautions to the best of one’s judgment. Certain kinds of precautions seem to be eerie or weird to some, and so also their nonchalance appears strange and uninitiatedness to those knowledgeable and better informed in whose case discretion is the better part of valor. So, finally, it takes all kinds of people to make a world and all are right one way or another despite everything. All said and done, coronavirus has no permanent friends and eternal enemies.