Rakesh Savjani

Drama Tragedy Others

2  

Rakesh Savjani

Drama Tragedy Others

Craving Eyes

Craving Eyes

6 mins
145


Today is 24-Mar-2020, it is 7:45 PM & I am on my couch watching TV. Desperate to listen, honorable prime minister, as he is going to address the nation about COVID 19 & the action plan India has made to fight against. Not only me but entire India is eagerly waiting for news. The majority are expecting lockdown for 15 days as there was a Janta Curfew just 2 days back & now people feel closure is the only way to stop the spread of the virus. On the other side, news from America & Italy is enough to scare anyone. Mortality in Italy & incapability to deal with a number of patients are now bread & butter for media. News Channels are putting their 100% to ensure that people will get a daily dose of fear & even try to make it more horrible by overwhelming. Now Mr. Prime Minister is addressing the nation & my heartbeats are accelerating with every second word. I am continuously praying god that at least lockdown can be imposed after a few days but sometimes your fear stands in front of you to test your courage & capabilities. PM has announced lockdown from today 12 midnight & I am frozen without any expression. My body started shivering. I don't care much about COVID & it impacts. I am worried about Mansi.


We are happily married for the last 2 years. We feel a different level of attachment with each other. Beyond love, it's trust, care & belongingness which make our relation more warm. Mansi is a beautiful & educated girl. She is working with an audit firm. With almost experience of 10 years, she is quite comfortable with traveling, handling people, and dealing with conditions. She is smart enough to find solutions but this is not a normal situation.


She has traveled to Mumbai just 4 days back as she has to complete the audit of a finance company. Considering March-end it was nonavoidable and we were not so sure about the sudden lockdown. In fact, she was in Mumbai during Janta Curfew. I am trying to call Mansi but she is not picking up the phone. Now again News Channels have started broadcasting Prime Minister's speech from 100 different angles. Sarcasm & horrible expectations about lockdown are annoying me like anything. Suddenly my phone started ringing. It's a call from Mansi. Before I say anything, she started talking in an anxious voice.


Mansi: I have seen the news & immediately left the place. I am in a cab & moving to the airport. I hope I will get a ticket from the counter. Trying to come back before 12:00 AM. This is the reason for not picking up your call. 

 

Me: This is not a time to try & error. Please call your company admin immediately & ask him to arrange the ticket. This is not an ordinary time & I have doubt that you will get the ticket from the counter. Everyone will push hard to reach a base location within the timeline. I am also going to talk with a few of my friends.


Mansi: Ok. Let me reach the airport & coordinate with the admin. I will call you back.


I am trying to book a ticket through the online portal but either they have stopped booking or may be due to sudden load, their portals are not working. This is called irony. The entire year, my mailbox was flooded with offers from airline companies/ booking portals & now I am not able to get a single ticket.


I have called one of my friends in Mumbai to understand the situation. Rather than helping, the call has increased my pain. As per Ravi, there is a terrific jam on the road. Everyone is rushing towards Airport, Railway Station & Bus Depot. Some of the people have booked a taxi to travel back but they are not able to move out of Mumbai. The condition is awful. Mansi's number is popping up in call waiting.


Mansi: I am at Airport & trying to get the ticket but this is next to impossible. People are rushing on the counter like a hungry wolf. Even officials from airline companies are requesting a crowd to keep calm. They don't have enough flights to accommodate so many passengers & issuing tickets on a first come first serve basis. Even Airport security is managing the crowd. I don't see many possibilities to get a ticket.


Me: What about your admin?


Mansi: He is saying that he is unable to get the ticket. He may help with the extension of stay at the same hotel.


I am speechless. 21 days in a different city without any known person & in such a critical condition. I am ready to face any difficulties but here Mansi has to fight against the situation. Blood is frozen in vein & I am actually feeling helpless. A Pandemic in which everyone is maintaining distance from near & dear, how the hotel is going to serve Mansi. Will their staff members take enough level of precautions, maintain hygiene standards & even become ready to serve guests? Is it worth staying in a hotel and take the risk? What if Mansi will get affected by COVID? Who is going to take care? Are hospitals equipped enough to take care of COVID patients? My mind is flooded with countless negative thoughts & suddenly I hear Mansi calling my name. Even I forget that call is on.


Mansi: What Happens? I think, taking a hotel is the only wise decision. If I will lose this opportunity, not sure how I will get stay in Mumbai.


Me: Okay. Meanwhile, let me explore a few more options.


After exploring all the options, there is only a ray of hope. Though it is risky, this is the only way left out. I take my car and started driving towards Mumbai without saying anything to Mansi. It is almost 10 hours journey & I am sure after 12:00 AM going to face a lot of obstacles from the police but it doesn't matter. I have not taken a drop in water in the last 2 hours. Now I want to reach Mumbai by hook or by crook.


Globalization forces us to believe that the world is too small. One can easily travel to any corner & one can be in multiple countries during a day. Suddenly this is a U-turn where it is difficult for people to come out from home. I am the one who used to make fun of Bollywood movie scenes. For me, it is like an absolutely vague where the hero doesn't have any other way out & running like a senseless to meet his girlfriend/wife. Now I am the one who is driving towards Mumbai like a Bollywood story. Such a short distance seems like miles and hours like years. Words can't be enough to express the volatility. 


Sometimes situations push to bring you down on your knees. This is what happened to me. I got a call from Mansi that Hotel is not ready to provide accommodation. They don't want to take the risk & don't have enough provisions to continue in this situation. They are going to close the hotel for 21 days. It is a matter of 10-12 hours but where Mansi will spend the night if the hotel is not ready to provide room. I know it is not easy to be calm but I have to keep her engaged & positive.


Though I am counseling Mansi, myself is not comfortable with what is going on. My hands are on car steering & eyes are on-road but full of tears. I am not sure either police will allow me to cross the state border, not sure when will I reach. I am struggling with uncontrolled emotions but I have to manage my emotions & sense otherwise it is not possible to reach the destination. Yearning to meet her is making me crazy. My eyes are craving to see her.


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