On 23rd April, we heard the news that the lockdown would be eased from the next day. This would mean we would finally be able to venture out a bit. That day would also be the 35th day, since we had stepped out of the building; the farthest we had gone to, being the trash chute on the same floor - and oh boy, was I happy every time it was my turn!
I enjoy my evening walks and for long time now, my daily 3 km walks covered walking from the bedroom to the living room, then to the balcony and back in repetition. I often felt like a lion pacing in his cage back and forth, the only unidirectional view of the world being what I saw from my east facing balcony. It would be so good to finally see the sunset. I imagined what it would be like when the day to step out would finally arrive. I saw myself dancing my way out of the building like the girl from the Cadbury's ad who ran onto the cricket field to meet her lover.
Come D Day, the Avengers assembled in full gear – finally out of the pajamas into the gym clothes, sneakers and masks.
Yeah we look like humans mutating into parrots!
Instructions were given to the children – DO NOT TOUCH, ANYWHERE! We finally stepped out of the house and walked towards the elevator. I educated the others on how to call for it by pressing the button with the second knuckle on the index finger. Once inside I demonstrated the same again, by pressing the ground floor button. We were halfway down when the door opened. Another family stood outside. I freaked out, “Would they enter? If they did, wouldn’t it be too crowded? What about social distancing?” Thankfully their mask-covered faces disclosed an equally horrified look and they signaled they would take the next one. Never before, have people in the same building been so wary of each other.
Once out of the elevator, I pushed the entrance door of the building with my forearm. I saw more people than I imagined there would be. I reminded the children that they should keep safe distance from other walkers. I reminded them again not to constantly adjust their mask. I reminded them to sanitize their hands once more. I completely forgot to dance!
We started on our regular 4 km route. I am not a listening-to-music-while-walking kind of person. I rather enjoy chatting. But with the mask on, that became significantly harder. It was harder to breathe and hence harder to talk while walking. And the mask moved a lot. I quickly learnt that saying “Ohhh” helped move it down and saying “Umm” with your lips pressed, helped move it up (try it next time). I realized I was talking less and making weird faces more (Jim Carey would be proud). My husband suggested we should just walk quietly. Even through the mask, his sly smile gave away his intentions. We walked the rest of the route in silence. The sunset was beautiful.
Alas, by the time we were home, I realized I hadn’t really enjoyed the whole going-out process as much as I had anticipated it. I remembered my ‘good old days in lockdown’ when I could walk worry-free in the house. So, the next evening when my husband got ready for the walk,
“But it will be hot outside, right?”, I asked
“Yeah”
“And I’ll have to change?”
“Yeah”
“And I’ll have to wear a mask?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“It’s ok. You can go alone. I’ll just walk in the house today.”
It’s been almost 2 weeks since then. I go out once in three or four days just so I can see the sun set. I know eventually I, and all of us, will have to get used to this new ‘normal’ – walking away from people, face covered and silent. But till then, since I can, I will enjoy walking in the comfort of my home and if my nose twitches a bit, I will scratch it - fearlessly, to my heart’s content.
