Coronavirus Coronavirus Coronavirus

There. I said it.

We haven’t had a world war in a very long time. And we’ve never had a war where it was the entire world versus an alien invader. (A real one, I mean.)

Well, we’re making up for that now. 

And for the duration of The War, Indian citizens over 65 years-old are directed to stay indoors and to wash our hands anytime we touch something we haven’t just sanitized. 

Although I am a tourist, not a citizen, I am complying with that order. I’m guessing the decrepitudes of age, not nationalities, are the driving factor here. 

India is less than half the size of the continental United States in square miles with four times the population – 1.3 billion.

As of today, 271 people have been diagnosed with the disease, three of whom have died. Now, if that seems like small potatoes to you big potato plague spots out there – it is. And the Indian government would like to keep it that way.  Hence the directive.

I wish all my friends and family were here to ride this thing out.  But for the time being, India is not allowing any foreign visitors. (Even if you drop my name.)

So as long as I’m housebound here in West Bengal, I thought I’d show you around my house. 

Here’s my living room, bath and kitchen.

Here are my two bedrooms.  The one on the right is where I sleep and write.

See my little writing desk?

I get up around 5:30 in the morning. Meditate a bit. Read a bit. Exercises for five minutes. Make a cup of coffee. Put on some music. Check emails. Reply (if it’s you). Read awhile more. Then have a nice lunch.

I don’t usually check the news but during the present emergency, I check it compulsively – at least half a dozen times a day. 

The afternoon varies. I write notes for my blog. Text pals near and far. Climb to the roof to read, write, plan the next trip, admire the view and whatnot.

Then I climb down. Make lists. Order stuff from Amazon. Read some more. Have dinner and straighten up the mess I’ve made with all that reading during the day. 

Sometimes I go back up on the roof to have a cigar and watch the sunset. Or watch the neighbors drag out a card table and play rummy in the courtyard. Then, I go down for a last cup of coffee and a last e-news check.

Around 10, I crawl into the sack and doze off with some improving book or novel (dislike that word these days – reminds me of something unpleasant. Like a virus or something). Around midnight, I wake up with a start, turn off the lights and turn in.

While in my happy confinement, I find myself more thankful than ever for the great good fortune of family, friends, laptops, cellphones, Google, Kindle, gmail, Amazon, social media, social security, indoor plumbing, coffee, cocoa and toast. 

Especially cocoa and toast.