AN AUDIENCE WITH A COVID 19 PATIENT(True Story, updated)


(True Story)

BY K P PASWAN

Years ago I was in a position of strength in a large town of India. I needed a Credit card of a reputed foreign bank which operated only in select cities. An executive from the bank visited me, filled the form and put the form for my signature.Since I was not a permanent citizen of a city, served by the bank.I was denied a Credit Card.

AN EXECUTIVE ONCE AGAIN. After six  months a lanky human figure appeared before me, presented his visiting card. He happened to be one Mr. Sharma, a senior Executive of that particular bank. Mr. Sharma, with a degree from California Institute of Technology, appeared, to be a real gentleman per excellence. Any way he informed me, that he was on an inspection visit to the local branch of that foreign bank and that he was paying as a courtesy visit to meI was surprised, Sensing my mood he removed my doubt, and the next moment, he gave me a very pleasant surprise. He told me that he was married in  my district town, and that he was the son in law of a person about whom, I was well informed. His father in law owned a chain of vegetable restaurants all over the state . He never mentioned my application to his bank for a credit card.

 LENGTHY TALK. Casually he told me that several members of his in law’s house own the credit cards of that bank, and that if I wanted a credit card, he would provide me irrespective of address. I thanked him and refused the offer. He remained in the city for a week and  met me thrice, impressing me with his experience in various fields including his stay in the world famous education center.

Disappearance.  After six months he came again on an inspection tour, he met me and this time he was more open in his conversation. He was not happy with hard work in banking, he wanted to join some reputed corporate houses. Now it was my turn to speak, I told him to try his luck in Latin American countries, but he countered that most of the countries were poor, than I told  him that a large number of Neo rich Americans were going to Mexico and other countries to establish manufacturing units. They are contributing to the economic growth of these countries, but are also involved in money laundering and evading taxes in their own country.   He listened to me with great attention and departed. After one year I also left the town for another city and almost forgot Mr. Sharma who disappeared from my memory.

       My home district connects different parts of the country . My home town is also well connected by railways, but for visiting big cities I have to go to the district town situated at a distance of nearly sixty kms.I never visited the restaurant owned by the in laws of Mr. Sharma. After seven years I was no longer in a position of strength but after that I traveled widely.  From 2015 to 2019 so many ups and downs were seen in and outside of India. In international politics China emerged as a second economic power and posed a serious danger to American economy.

       SUV. I was holidaying in my home, reading the latest edition of the National Geography, when at about 3 pm I saw an expensive SUV, followed by half a dozen local boys. Sighting of cars are very common in my countryside villages, but the expensive SUV was new to my neighbors, one elderly person was directing the driver of the SUV towards my home and within minutes the SUV stopped just in front of me. A healthy and slightly fat middle age man and a woman with two children alighted from the SUV and greeted me. I was not only surprised, but shocked to see Mr. Sharma as it was after some time that I recognized him. Any way it was a pleasant moment to greet the couple.

 He told me to remember the conversation we had nearly eight years ago. He confirmed that not only Mexico but countries like Panama was swarmed with the Americans business magnets, and both these countries were economically flourishing, that he joined one of the giants of American economy with fat salary and excellent perks. He along with his family were coming after performing puja in an ancient  temple near my home town . A famous Hindi movie in late 1950s was filmed near the temple, and one patriotic song of this movie is still popular and much in demand. After staying nearly four hours Mr. Sharma and family departed.

  A few days later on, we were sitting in a Press Information Bureau of my district, A few  officers were sharing our discussion, Anti Dalit agitation was going on  against reservation and also against a special act which gives superficial protection to Dalits. I started the debate, ‘Let us abolish reservation to remove unemployment in India, to my utter surprise Mr Sharma addressed small gathering of VIPs and declared that with abolition of reservation, India  may witness the emergence of Apartheid in a new form.  Every body was taken aback.

 HOWDY MODI,  I have limited option and resources to undertake foreign travel, but an opportunity presented itself and I was there. My close friends including two officials living in Latin countries and of course Mr. Sharma were present at the venue. Before I proceed further I would like to narrate an interesting evening,  my diplomat friend pointed his fingers to a handsome fellow, belonging to Cow belt in India. This fellow a Brahmin, is married to a girl belonging to an extended family of  the former PM of UK, and is in the habit of abusing his own religion by publishing articles in American magazine This fellow was also present with his  followers to oppose the PM(Narendra Modi).  Than a strange thing was seen, which no body was going to believe even in future. A White American with his wife and a toddler on his shoulder approached us to inform that they had come from a far away place to listen to Rajeev Gandhi, he was unaware, that decades have passed since the late PM was assassinated.  After listening to sad story,the white American with his wife left the venue without listening to Indian PM.

Narendra Modi is an honest politician, CAA,NRC and other measures are necessary if the sovereignty of India is to be preserved. He is a democratically elected PM but not immortal, he replaced Manmohan Singh, and one day he may be replaced by another politician, and we will be listening to him. Than why there is hue and cry about certain actions of the govt, which are necessary for future development of the country. Any way we listened to the Indian PM and left the venue. After few days It was time for my onward journey. I was seen off by my friends and of course Mr. Sharma.

  DOOM AND GLOOM. When we are preoccupied we may not see and realize the change of seasons. In the month of Nov/Dec19(2020) Corona virus emerged from Wuhan Institute of Virology, spread rapidly, engulfing the entire planet, claiming lives without distinguishing rich and poor. In India there was complete lock down, but before that, I was warned in advance by a well-wisher in China. I hurriedly came to my village which is like a small town. With mounting casualties, I began to fear for the worst.  In the beginning very, little was known about this killer virus and this prompted a few world leaders like Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Bolsonaro to treat the virus like any other flu virus, and this bizarre thinking led to heavy casualties in Italy, Spain, USA, Brazil and almost all the countries of the world. In absence of any established drugs greater emphasis was given to isolate the infected persons with a  traveling history.Very soon community transmission was noticed, and for a while it appeared that the Biblical concept of the Apocalyptic end of the human race was knocking the door. 

    DOOM CROWLLING Large number of panicked laborers working in South Indian states from my  surrounding villages returned, but we were ready to meet such existences A doctor(M.R.C.P) in his early 80 called a meeting of the people, a committee was formed , and war  declared against killer virus. All the labors were kept in isolation in the local middle and primary schools, women were accommodated in separate rooms. Chlorine and Multivitamins were kept ready for use, if situation warranted.  It appeared that Corona was more frightened than the people who were in isolation, they were, singing dancing and merry making. One evening, there was gun shot near a primary school, we rushed to the scene only to find, a large gathering, watching Bharat Nat yam, being performed by some of the male laborers, clad in Saree.

 At the end of isolation period every one was welcomed back in his home. But there was no happy ending in other parts of the state. Corona infected persons were left to die in a worst manner.  I feared lose of my well-wishers and friends, now in future there will be nobody to greet me on arrival and seeing me off on departure.  My two friends posted outside India always reminded me of precautions like wearing masks,maintaining social distance and frequent hand washing.

VOICE FROM THE PASTE. It was frightening to remember near and dear, whose very existence was not known. It was the last week of Sept 20, that in the midst of night, I received a call, it appeared to be a voice from the past, but as soon as I recognized the voice,I jumped from the bed, it was Mr Sharma, calling from the US. He informed that he was infected with Covid 19 and got admitted in an American Hospital, where he was treated with Hydroxychloroquine and multivitamins and that all the physicians and health workers were Americans and very cooperatives, He also informed that the son in law of the extended family of the former PM of UK was  also lying side by side with him and kept a copy of holy GEETA, which was smuggled to hospital by his British wife and kept under his pillow, he also recovered, and  attributed his recovery to his fate, I was not interested in knowing about a hypocrite.

         Mr. Sharma diverted the topic, and my fear disappeared.  From the conversation it followed that HQ Chlorine is widely used drug against Coronavirus in the US and all over the world, and if given in initial stage than almost every patient without comorbidity recovers. FDA has not banned this drug and simply ignored for consideration. Heavy casualties in UK,Spain,Italy and US is attributed to use of expensive drugs for treatment. At the time of writing this blog it was reported that a cheap parasite drug Ivermectin is being used to fight the South African variant of the Corona 19 while the efficacy of vaccines is being questioned and there is a talk of modifying the vaccines.

FINAL WORDS.
There is nothing more to talk except one conundrum. Why a highly educated Pushkarna Brahmin came closer to an educated Dalit? He never tries to misguide me and vice versa. It is a mystery and let it remain a mystery. There is a proverb “You cannot enjoy suspense if you cannot anticipate it but than who knows?


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