Restaurants are filled again with families. Don’t waste food, beta, a father tells his son. He now realises the worth of food. Dad, why can’t we see the stars in our sky anymore. because things are back to normal, son. That’s our normal. Not seeing the stars. Some of us have gone home, to be with our families. I am so glad you are alive, mom, I was worried beyond imagination. Nothing will ever happen to me, she says. Touchwood, you say. Your return ticket hasn’t been booked yet. You want to spend some more time with them. Cricket is back on the menu. Jadeja is diving around. You are watching it with your friends, CSK will win again this year. It might be the last time Dhoni is playing. End of an era. It’s time for the likes of Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw to take Chennai forward. Start of an era. The Premier League is also back. They have given Liverpool the title. Won fair and square, I guess. Nobody is complaining. Maybe because everyone is just happy to have the football back. The banter has started. Because things are back to normal now. No more surprises.You sleep. Tomorrow will be normal again. Second day in a row.
It’s 6’o’clock, you leave your office. Catch the train back home. Oh man, I missed this bloody train. No more social distancing, just give me your bag uncle, I will hold it while I enjoy reading on my kindle. The chaos is back. This feels normal. It’s a little less crowded though, you think. Hope not all of them died, you wish secretly. No they haven’t, you convince yourself. Back to reading. You reach home, the guard at the gate greets you. Kaise ho? Bas sab badhiya. Magazine aayi thi koi? Nahin, he replies, smiling. He is smiling for no reason. And so are you. This is the first time the society gate has opened in months. This is his office, you realise. He has every reason to smile. You open your apartment door. It’s normal. You look out of your window, the neighbour who was always on his balcony isn’t there anymore. He is inside, watching TV. Back to normal, you guess. You miss seeing him though. You start reading the book you ordered from Amazon, which is back to delivering “non-essential” things. This is the first package you have opened after months. What a privilege, to get books delivered to your doorstep. It actually smells nice. The book smell thing is real, guys, maybe you should write something about it.No more negativity, no more writing about the pandemic, or anxiety, or death.
And so, you start writing. And this is the first time you have written about a normal subject in months. No more negativity, no more writing about the pandemic, or anxiety, or death. Back to normal. Let’s see if this normal lasts. You are unable to collect your thoughts. It’s okay, you tell yourself. We have been through worse. You sleep. Tomorrow will be normal again. Second day in a row. Amazing. Can’t wait to wake up and go for that 12 noon meeting at Social. Maybe you will order that breakfast tray. You haven’t had proper breakfast in so long. Alarm rings. Good morning. Finally, the morning is actually good. This phrase has a deeper meaning now, or so you think. I am coming for you, breakfast. You meet that neighbour downstairs. You look at each other and smile. Guess he too missed seeing you.Why can’t we see the stars in our sky anymore? Because things are back to normal. Our normal.
