Aab has heard that the entire country, in fact the whole world, is under a lock-down. Since Aab has never had anything to do with locks, he finds it difficult to understand what is going on. He never had the need to lock anything and when the authorities started threatening citizens to “Stay at home” he was very confused, because he does not have a home. He stays put where he always was, but he never considered it a home – since Aab is a wanderer and a Banjara at heart and can end his day anywhere.
What he does understand very well is “social distancing” because that is what he has done his whole life. He has kept away from everyone, very content sitting on the curb stone alone (sometimes with a street dog for company) or just lurking around in the shadows watching the crowds of people rushing all the time.
Aab has understood that being alone and enjoying solitude is the opposite of loneliness. He observes with compassion those who cannot be in their own company and perpetually complain of loneliness because their friends or relatives have let them down. Aab wonders whether this huge lock-down will teach a lesson at least to a few people who will start reviewing what they gained by socializing, chasing good contacts, buttering up the influential, and impressing others to gain stature.
Being forced to stay at home, people find that they are looking at their parents, spouse, children or siblings all the time. Aab wonders whether they truly recognize each other and value each other, or whether they are just biding their time till the locks are opened. They would have lost the opportunity to build stronger relations and will again go back to complain about loneliness. Aab will carry on at the end of the day to look for solitude, serenity and sleep.
