Love in the time of swine flu

That I am reading Marquez, has little to do with this post. But yes, swine flu or Cholera, a pandemic creates a pandemonium of sorts. We’ve been reading about swine flu for  a while now, and like most others hoped it didn’t affect any of us. We joked about it, when people had a normal flu, but deep inside everyone hoped to heaven and hell, that it was not of the swine variety.

It was the weekend before the last, when Ann came over for the last time before she left for India. She was down with a little throat infection, and so was Meeshu. Both were on their way to recovery, and we were planning the weekend, and exchanging frantic notes about what had happened years back in college, (when she was not exactly a friend of mine), laughing at the silly and foolhardy stuff we had done back then, over cups of tea and glasses of wine. I woke up on Sunday morning with a sore throat, fever and a miserable headache. Since all plans had to be scrapped, I decided to read through my fellow blogger’s spaces and found IK’s blog talk of a kid he knew, was affected with Swine flu, in Kolkata. The poor little girl had gone via Melbourne and was quarantined in India. That piece of information was enough to plant a seed of doubt in my head. I Googled, Binged and did every possible internet search about Swine Flu. Came to know that the symptoms are like normal flu, and very infectious. So my thoughts went to Ann- had she caught the flu…did she give it to me? Why are we feeling so sick? Why isn’t Ann still feeling any better- she had been sick for a while… . So this was swine flu after all. Ann and I sat on the couch nervously laughing, and deep inside, petrified. We decided to see the doc the next day.

That night, believe you me, I didn’t sleep a wink. I thought of my loved ones, friends, told my thank yous, I love yous- silently. I clutched Meeshu and even cried a tad bit, thinking of the worst that was to hit the family. I had back up plans, thought how Raj would manage his lunches and dinners when we were quarantined, and even thought of telling Raj, he should think of marrying again, if I died. ‘For Meeshu’s sake’, I wanted to tell him, then thought the better of it. I didn’t want to pass on my nerves on the poor man, who was going through a tough time at work, himself.

Next morning, at our favourite Chinese doctor’s clinic (I know, almost sounds like at our favorite Chinese restaurant), we waited with our faces hung low, fingers fiddling with our phones. I wanted to SMS Ma, saying I loved her. I wanted to tell her all my books were Meeshu’s property. I wanted to SMS my In laws and tell them, they had to find a bride for their son. I wanted to call up dada and tell him, he was the best. I was thinking of which friend to call first and express my (un)dying love. Meanwhile, Ann hysterically kept SMSing,  wanting to know what the doc had said.  Mercifully, the doc called us and asked- so what can I do for you today? With a straight face I told him- I am scared we have the swine flu. One look at Meeshu and he said- no way. I don’t think you have the swine flu. Then he went on to explain the big difference between a normal flu and swine flu. That, both were similar and the latter was way more infectious and that even if we did have Swine flu, we’d not die. The ones who are likely to die are the old who didn’t have any resistance or very young babies. After a little more gyan, and a thorough check up, we left the clinic.

Once out, I wanted to cry. Really. It might seem like a joke to you guys, but this took me through a medley of emotions- some funny and some ominous. I realized what my family and the universe around me meant to me. I realised I had done very little in my life, and that I needed to live more, laugh more. At that note, I instantly SMSed Ann-

Babe, tried reaching you. Come back home right now. Don’t need to explain a thing to your colleagues. Our worst fears have come true,  we have the swine flu, and we need to be quarantined. :( :( . Don’t worry, and call back asap.

I needed a good laugh, you see.

 

(On a serious note, I really pray for those who have been affected by this deadly flu. be careful, fellas)