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Wind in lonely fences

Some years ago, some friends and I were discussing helmets. At the time, they were on the "don't like wearing a helmet because it's uncomfortable" side. Though I acknowledged their sartorial point, I was and am very much on the other side and when asked why, had a simple answer - I may be a safe and steady bike rider but have no way of knowing if anyone else is. So, I used the helmet to protect myself from others' mistakes.

A peculiar aspect of the human condition is to itch to do the exact opposite of a suggestion. So, when the authorities made helmets compulsory, there was a predictable hue and cry. Excuses were given about the expense, the cumbersomeness, the lack of need and practically anything else under the sun. The authorities have not bothered to enforce the helmet law strictly so it's common to see many a rider sans protective gear.

Why am I prattling on about this?

Substitute masks for helmets and we have arrived.

Tomorrow is the 8th of June, 2020. The day India is supposed to open up after almost 3 months of lock-down, curfew, confusion, frustration, job losses, life losses and so on and so forth. Today, the country is registering an average of almost 10000 new cases per day. Bombay is in serious trouble, Delhi isn't far behind while Ahmadabad is the elephant in the room; more deaths per million than any other city but more silence about this fact because it's in the dear leader's home state and there are some things that just can't get spoken about. Actually, right now there are a lot of things we are silent about, but hey... you want to be officially harassed because you believe in justice, liberty or basic human decency? An awful lot of people who do are currently in jail, so I think not. Oh and those poor sods trying to get to their villages will probably be carrying the virus along, so rural India may be in for an almighty health crisis.

We still know fuck-all about this virus. All media talk about vaccines is slowly petering away because the reality is that it may be years before one appears. Maybe never. Right now, the only two things we can be sure of is that washing hands with soap helps protect us and wearing masks gives us something of a chance to not contract it from others. But we still won't wear the damn things, no? I stepped out for groceries today and saw enough faces for my soul to sink all the way to my soles. I don't even want to think about whether people are washing hands regularly.

Looks like it's going to be a long year, folks.

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