Love Quarantined

They were not alone. They had each other. They were not alone. They had the world with them. Even in these trying times of COVID-19, their love could only be isolated, it couldn’t be washed away.

News of the pandemic was pouring in from all quarters. Countries after countries were getting into this battle, their citizens suffering, dying and governments declaring war against an unseen unknown virus. It was during these trying times, with the macro picture becoming gloomy, two micro-souls decided to pick up the cudgels in their own hands, to save their little world.

Abhimanyu’s business travel had been planned six months earlier. A four-week long trip, with pre-booked appointments, hotel reservations and flight tickets. All as usual. It was during one such meeting, that he had heard of a strange new disease being discovered in some silent sleepy part of the world. At that point it was just a good-to-know news headline, which helps in casual conversations before business negotiations set in. But things were drastically different by the end of his trip. Facial mask was already in vogue and social distancing was taking the world by a storm. International travelers were being scanned at every airport. Their travel footprints under scrutiny. Landing back in his own land, Abhimanyu couldn’t resist feeling like a smuggler. Though no one mentioned it explicitly, yet it seemed as they all suspected him to be a virus-peddler. Carrier of a deadly viral strain.

Abhimanyu was a rational and well-sorted individual. He brushed aside the negative thoughts and focused on the tasks at hand. He was extremely co-operative with the airport medical team. He answered all questions patiently, without hiding any facts, sharing all necessary details. While still on his travel, he had read extensively about this new disease, its symptoms, means of transmissions etc. He was also abreast with all the measures government agencies world over and in his homeland were taking to combat this crisis. He too was equipped with a plan….a plan to save his world.

As he had expected, Abhimanyu walked out of the airport with a government stamp on one hand and a letter advising home quarantining in another. And he was fully prepared to follow the advice to the last dot. Living under the same roof with his parents, wife and kids, Abhimanyu realised the possible risk he was putting everyone else at. As per the initial statistics, mortality rates were higher in senior citizens infected by this disease. Though evidence of contraction was low, he surely didn’t want his kids to go through the ordeal of any illness. He and his wife Mamta were the two pillars of their household, each equally important for its existence and balance. All in all, these lives were too precious to be risked. Keeping all this in mind, Abhimanyu and Mamta decided to chalk out a detailed plan.

Mamta drove down to the airport to receive Abhimanyu. They met in the parking lot. No hugs, no kisses, no miss you. Only a glance and a smile, just to reiterate that they were together. Abhimanyu got into the car as Mamta walked away to the taxi stand. He was clear, he wouldn’t spend the hour-long journey from the airport to home, with her in the same car.

Back home, Mamta had done all arrangements. Abhimanyu’s parents shifted to his sister’s house for next two to three weeks. Their kids moved in with Mamta’s parents. She had dropped each one of them to their planned destination a night prior to his arrival.

Abhimanyu was already waiting in the car park, when Mamta reached home. She opened the door for him, and straight went to the kids’ room to freshen up. She had already moved her stuff into the kids’ room. It was going to be hers for the coming weeks. Abhimanyu on the other hand, entered the house and straight went to the master bedroom, and locked the door. Next two weeks were going to be critical. A wait and watch situation, with lots of prayers and much more precaution thrown in.

Abhimanyu and Mamta had always been sticklers of cleanliness. The current situation only augmented their efforts in maintaining hygienic conditions. Abhimanyu stayed inside his room for next two weeks. Every day Mamta would keep snacks, meals and other necessities outside his door. He, on the other hand, would clean his clothes and dishes. He would then leave the stuff outside his room for Mamta to pick-up for the final wash. Mamta ensured all utensils and clothes, including hers, were washed in hot water. The house was cleaned regularly, with ample use of detergents & sanitizers. Herbal tea, hot water gargling, steam inhalations etc were now part of their daily routines. They also tried to include all other home-remedies like ginger, turmeric, black pepper etc. in their daily meals. Visitations were reduced to less than bare minimum. Mamta too almost never stepped out of the house. Even if some household stuff was needed to be purchased, she would call up their neighbors. The required items were then delivered at their doorstep. Prevention was better than cure, and they wanted to prevent an infection to the extent possible.  

There was a common wall between kid’s room and master bedroom. And this wall became the symbol of their resolve. Mamta & Abhimanyu were staying in the same house but were mainly interacting through phone calls and video chats. They would still have the evening cup of tea together, but conversation would take place through virtual media. They would regularly connect with friends and family through conference calls. Each sitting in their respective rooms, they would stay engaged in their tasks and hobbies, yet calling out to each other in between. They would still tease each other, crack jokes, argue on petty issues and discuss family matters. But all this with a brick wall between them. The physical distance of 1meter & more between them at all times, was only bringing them together, binding them more than ever before.

They had their weak moments too. Times when loneliness would start pinching. When longing for family and each other would start hurting. Their otherwise free spirits were jailed, and they longed to be out on the road, breathing in open fresh air. For once both missed the hustle and bustle of busy streets, traffic jams and morning rush. They yearned for street food, shopping sprees and mundane grocery stores. It seemed their world was getting restricted to laptop and mobile screens. Digitization maintained a human touch in their lives, but only figuratively, and they craved for it literally. Self-discipline was both tiring and scaring. There were days when fear would take over logic. There were times when heart would sink, and it all seemed like an endless dark tunnel. And the news pouring in from world over would dampen their spirits further.

It was during these times that their love for each other and their families came to their rescue. Their will to live gave them strength. And even repeated washes couldn’t fade their resolve to stand by each other.

Today two-weeks of quarantining are coming to an end. Abhimanyu hasn’t developed any of the known symptoms of this dreaded infection. Yet their battle will continue for days to come. The quarantine regimen is likely to extend to next few days, as an additional precautionary measure. However life may take longer to come back to its old pattern. Soon after the end of self-quarantine, they will join their community in the fight against this pandemic. They have and will continue to contribute to communal well-being.

And I am sharing their story with you in a hope that their restraint and resilience will inspire you in the same way as it has done for me.