Shiv Nirula's Blog
May 7, 2021
The Sign (Story #3 of the LockDown Diaries: Short Stories on Covid Times)
It started like a joke, a scientist, a professor, and a spiritual Guru meet in a bar. However, it was not to drink but a gathering of regional leaders to discuss the ongoing coronavirus containment measures. Once that was done and discussed with the three old friends sat down for a chat.
It was the Professor who first started the discussion, ”John you are a spiritualist, what is your thought about this pandemic? Don’t you think God has abandoned us by letting mankind be affected by such a devastating virus attack.”
“You know God works in mysterious ways. This could be a test to check human resolve or punishment or even a warning,” replied John to Michael.
“You know I am an Irreligious person but I do believe that there must be a supreme power or ‘God’ who ultimately would be behind this creation. However, I do not believe that any such power would even be bothered or aware of us inhabiting such a small planet which is part of an average-sized Sun in one of the billions of Galaxies of the known Universe,” added Neil the scientist.
“For a moment let us consider the possibility that there is an aware superpower, maybe a God, maybe an advanced species or something. Why would it allow Coronavirus which could be ‘the starting of the end of the Human civilization’,” continued Michael.
John shrugged and added. “You know in all religions, God is the creator of not just us but also the planet and other species. If God allowed the extinction of Dinosaurs or Wooly Mammoths or Dodo’s then who says we are more important than any other species. The way we have been treating each other, the planet, and our cohabitant species, I don’t think the Supreme being would be happy.”
“I agree with John here. If there was a diety or a power that looks at the planet and sees what we have done, I don’t think we would look as the godly child but more of an aberration that is spoiling the world, killing and eating all kinds of animals, fish, and insects. Now look at this Coronavirus which presumably has been started by consuming Bats!” said Neil.
Michael continued, “I think this would be one of the very few times that we all three are going to agree on something. I too believe that at this point these animal originating viruses are happening too often to be ignored. It is about time we stop killing other beings especially since we now have the power to replicate the taste with mock meats or lab-grown animal protein.”
“This is easier said than done. Changing the habits of most of the world population is not going to be possible without some kind of catastrophe or sign,” said Neil.
“Maybe this is a sign,” said John the Spiritualist.
“I believe if some higher power was sending us a sign or message to stop something it would be apparent by now,” said Neil challenging John obviously.
“It is not as if God will part the ocean or give a broadcast to tell us to stop doing something wrong. It would be subtle. Maybe God has already given us the message and we are unable to understand,” insisted John.
“I don’t think that is possible,” said Neil.
Michael stopped the two from getting into another intense debate and said, “Maybe, we should think of some way that God could have sent the message, maybe in the coding of the Virus RNA or through some inscription.”
“That is worth checking out,” said Neil as he opened his laptop and started researching the Coronavirus. John started calling some of his networks to check if any religious body is reporting something while Michael starts researching on the web.
“I don’t believe this,” exclaimed Michael after almost two hours of research. “We are right. There is a message and it was right before our eyes. Only we were too occupied to look at it.”
“What is it,” said Neil and John together their hearts pounding.
“I tried various combinations and anagrams of all things related to the Virus when I stumbled upon this:
The full name of the virus is
"Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2".
So I tried its anagrams and that and that perfectly transforms to
"DON’T BE CARNIVOROUS TO REVERSE MY CURSE
PRAY ARISE"
The three look at it incredulously trying to figure whether it is a coincidence or proof!
By Shiv Nirula
Links to my books
https://shivnirula.com/Shiv Nirula
https://www.facebook.com/JaceJudson
http://facebook.com/PralayaTheVirocal...
It was the Professor who first started the discussion, ”John you are a spiritualist, what is your thought about this pandemic? Don’t you think God has abandoned us by letting mankind be affected by such a devastating virus attack.”
“You know God works in mysterious ways. This could be a test to check human resolve or punishment or even a warning,” replied John to Michael.
“You know I am an Irreligious person but I do believe that there must be a supreme power or ‘God’ who ultimately would be behind this creation. However, I do not believe that any such power would even be bothered or aware of us inhabiting such a small planet which is part of an average-sized Sun in one of the billions of Galaxies of the known Universe,” added Neil the scientist.
“For a moment let us consider the possibility that there is an aware superpower, maybe a God, maybe an advanced species or something. Why would it allow Coronavirus which could be ‘the starting of the end of the Human civilization’,” continued Michael.
John shrugged and added. “You know in all religions, God is the creator of not just us but also the planet and other species. If God allowed the extinction of Dinosaurs or Wooly Mammoths or Dodo’s then who says we are more important than any other species. The way we have been treating each other, the planet, and our cohabitant species, I don’t think the Supreme being would be happy.”
“I agree with John here. If there was a diety or a power that looks at the planet and sees what we have done, I don’t think we would look as the godly child but more of an aberration that is spoiling the world, killing and eating all kinds of animals, fish, and insects. Now look at this Coronavirus which presumably has been started by consuming Bats!” said Neil.
Michael continued, “I think this would be one of the very few times that we all three are going to agree on something. I too believe that at this point these animal originating viruses are happening too often to be ignored. It is about time we stop killing other beings especially since we now have the power to replicate the taste with mock meats or lab-grown animal protein.”
“This is easier said than done. Changing the habits of most of the world population is not going to be possible without some kind of catastrophe or sign,” said Neil.
“Maybe this is a sign,” said John the Spiritualist.
“I believe if some higher power was sending us a sign or message to stop something it would be apparent by now,” said Neil challenging John obviously.
“It is not as if God will part the ocean or give a broadcast to tell us to stop doing something wrong. It would be subtle. Maybe God has already given us the message and we are unable to understand,” insisted John.
“I don’t think that is possible,” said Neil.
Michael stopped the two from getting into another intense debate and said, “Maybe, we should think of some way that God could have sent the message, maybe in the coding of the Virus RNA or through some inscription.”
“That is worth checking out,” said Neil as he opened his laptop and started researching the Coronavirus. John started calling some of his networks to check if any religious body is reporting something while Michael starts researching on the web.
“I don’t believe this,” exclaimed Michael after almost two hours of research. “We are right. There is a message and it was right before our eyes. Only we were too occupied to look at it.”
“What is it,” said Neil and John together their hearts pounding.
“I tried various combinations and anagrams of all things related to the Virus when I stumbled upon this:
The full name of the virus is
"Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2".
So I tried its anagrams and that and that perfectly transforms to
"DON’T BE CARNIVOROUS TO REVERSE MY CURSE
PRAY ARISE"
The three look at it incredulously trying to figure whether it is a coincidence or proof!
By Shiv Nirula
Links to my books
https://shivnirula.com/Shiv Nirula
https://www.facebook.com/JaceJudson
http://facebook.com/PralayaTheVirocal...
Singham (Story #2 of the LockDown Diaries: Short Stories on Covid Times)
A group Video Chat between drinking buddies during the lockdown.
“Bro, I am the worst sufferer of this lockdown. Firstly my boss is after me to do more work since I save on the commuting time and then the remaining time I spend either in Kitchen cleaning utensils or washing clothes. I should have chosen the cleaning duties,” said Hardeep.
“No dude, that is even worse. I can lift 20 KG dumbells but these cleaning duties are killing my back. I am counting the days till we get our maid back. I think Rahul did the wise thing by taking cooking duties,” said Aman.
“It was fun the first few days but frankly now all I want to make is Maggi. I never realized how much work cutting, chopping, and then cleaning everything is. You post one nice dish and people post more. Now there is the pressure of churning out the next masterpiece. And the worst part is that you can’t have proper cooler, fan or AC while cooking. I believe the only one amongst us four having a comfortable lockdown is Ajay. He is such a badass, our Singham,” grumbled Rahul as all three friends looked towards Ajay on screen.
He was a real Freebird and his wife Kaira was the sweetest and meekest wife they knew. Always going out of the way to please him with Ajay never even appreciating her good work.
Ajay looked at them sheepishly.
“You know it started like that only with me just reading the newspaper, watching TV, drinking beer, and enjoying the home-cooked meals. Kaira was taking care of everything, the house works, the meals, the kids, and even her office works but then I started noticing something.”
“What?” asked Rahul.
“You know that she is the group leader of her small coding team and the IT sector is working in full flow. She drastically changes the moment she is on her official Video conference call. It is like she changes from the angel we all know to a ferocious tigress. She gives the meanest jibes to any of her team member who doesn’t listen. The morning 1 hour, she is like scolding, threatening, or mocking her team to make them work harder and harder. Then once the conference is over she is again the sweet Kaira.”
“You are exaggerating surely,” said Hardeep.
“No, I am not. That day one of her team members got a call on his other personal number and he picked it up. Kaira got ballistic and made him take out the SIM Card and break it.”
“But that is his personal belonging,” interrupted Rahul.
“Exactly, but she is so scary that he did it anyway. Then one day she went ballistic and threw a glass on the floor just to prove a point. She shouts and scolds so much that her team seems to be working Saturdays and Sundays just to please her. And the scariest part is that she does this all in the study and comes out 1 minute later smiling and asking me can I get you anything.”
“What a transformation,” said Rahul. “Unbelievable. So what are you doing?’
“What do you think I can do. I am acting as a good husband like you and contributing my share to the housework. Who knows what she is capable of? Why take a chance. So like you all, I am sometimes cleaning, sometimes washing, sometimes taking care of the kids.”
“Yeah, you better do. This Coronavirus has changed so many lives in so many different ways,” says Rahul.
“So true,” agree Hardeep and Aman sympathizing with Ajay. How times change.
Kaira chatting with her friend Payal
Kaira: Payal your trick did wonder
Payal: Oh good, yeah
Kaira: The acting that you told me to do of being a crazy manager has worked so well. I don’t even have to say anything, he has become the perfect husband. No bossing me around or making me do all the chores. I don’t even have to ask and he by himself offers to share the workload. Thanks to you and all the guys for the play-acting. You are the best.
Payal: We are all happy to do it for you. I always told you that if you keep acting so sweet he will keep taking advantage of you. Better to put your foot down and this way you have without actually involving him.
Kaira: True, but that throwing of glass was too much!
Payal: I wish I could see Ajay’s face when you did that. ROFL
Singham!
By Shiv Nirula
Links to my books
https://shivnirula.com/Shiv Nirula
https://www.facebook.com/JaceJudson
http://facebook.com/PralayaTheVirocal...
“Bro, I am the worst sufferer of this lockdown. Firstly my boss is after me to do more work since I save on the commuting time and then the remaining time I spend either in Kitchen cleaning utensils or washing clothes. I should have chosen the cleaning duties,” said Hardeep.
“No dude, that is even worse. I can lift 20 KG dumbells but these cleaning duties are killing my back. I am counting the days till we get our maid back. I think Rahul did the wise thing by taking cooking duties,” said Aman.
“It was fun the first few days but frankly now all I want to make is Maggi. I never realized how much work cutting, chopping, and then cleaning everything is. You post one nice dish and people post more. Now there is the pressure of churning out the next masterpiece. And the worst part is that you can’t have proper cooler, fan or AC while cooking. I believe the only one amongst us four having a comfortable lockdown is Ajay. He is such a badass, our Singham,” grumbled Rahul as all three friends looked towards Ajay on screen.
He was a real Freebird and his wife Kaira was the sweetest and meekest wife they knew. Always going out of the way to please him with Ajay never even appreciating her good work.
Ajay looked at them sheepishly.
“You know it started like that only with me just reading the newspaper, watching TV, drinking beer, and enjoying the home-cooked meals. Kaira was taking care of everything, the house works, the meals, the kids, and even her office works but then I started noticing something.”
“What?” asked Rahul.
“You know that she is the group leader of her small coding team and the IT sector is working in full flow. She drastically changes the moment she is on her official Video conference call. It is like she changes from the angel we all know to a ferocious tigress. She gives the meanest jibes to any of her team member who doesn’t listen. The morning 1 hour, she is like scolding, threatening, or mocking her team to make them work harder and harder. Then once the conference is over she is again the sweet Kaira.”
“You are exaggerating surely,” said Hardeep.
“No, I am not. That day one of her team members got a call on his other personal number and he picked it up. Kaira got ballistic and made him take out the SIM Card and break it.”
“But that is his personal belonging,” interrupted Rahul.
“Exactly, but she is so scary that he did it anyway. Then one day she went ballistic and threw a glass on the floor just to prove a point. She shouts and scolds so much that her team seems to be working Saturdays and Sundays just to please her. And the scariest part is that she does this all in the study and comes out 1 minute later smiling and asking me can I get you anything.”
“What a transformation,” said Rahul. “Unbelievable. So what are you doing?’
“What do you think I can do. I am acting as a good husband like you and contributing my share to the housework. Who knows what she is capable of? Why take a chance. So like you all, I am sometimes cleaning, sometimes washing, sometimes taking care of the kids.”
“Yeah, you better do. This Coronavirus has changed so many lives in so many different ways,” says Rahul.
“So true,” agree Hardeep and Aman sympathizing with Ajay. How times change.
Kaira chatting with her friend Payal
Kaira: Payal your trick did wonder
Payal: Oh good, yeah
Kaira: The acting that you told me to do of being a crazy manager has worked so well. I don’t even have to say anything, he has become the perfect husband. No bossing me around or making me do all the chores. I don’t even have to ask and he by himself offers to share the workload. Thanks to you and all the guys for the play-acting. You are the best.
Payal: We are all happy to do it for you. I always told you that if you keep acting so sweet he will keep taking advantage of you. Better to put your foot down and this way you have without actually involving him.
Kaira: True, but that throwing of glass was too much!
Payal: I wish I could see Ajay’s face when you did that. ROFL
Singham!
By Shiv Nirula
Links to my books
https://shivnirula.com/Shiv Nirula
https://www.facebook.com/JaceJudson
http://facebook.com/PralayaTheVirocal...
The Sign (Story # 1 of the LockDown Diaries: Short Stories on Covid Times)
Anna was at her wit's end. Ever since she was back from the hospital, she was all alone. It was the same at the hospital but at least there were other people and she had her phone. She could talk to everyone. She suspected the over-friendly ward boy Ramesh to have stolen her phone when they dropped her home. She can't even go out and buy a new phone due to the post-treatment safety instructions. She had to stay in quarantine for 14 days.
“Today is the last day. Thank goodness,” she reminded herself.
This lockdown and especially her quarantine had taught her the importance of family and friends. She felt so guilty of being so engrossed in work that she hardly visited her parents once a month who lived just a 15 minutes’ drive away. But she had her priorities. She was a young rising executive and her office's main liaison with the China branch. True that the visit to China was the reason for her getting infected with Coronavirus.
"I wish I had come back in January itself rather than tagging out till mid-February there, I would have escaped the virus" she mused the 100th time.
Ever since she tested positive it was a horror ride with her going to the hospital in the government van, treatment in that shabby infrastructure, unhygienic foods, and the misery around her. It was just her phone and her diary that helped her survive and that rascal Ramesh had stolen it. She couldn't believe how helpful he acted just to steal her stuff. Anyway, all that is behind her. She is now cured and just has to complete these 14 days at home so she doesn't infect anyone especially her parents. Tomorrow morning, I will go to them. Give them a nice surprise and stay with them for a month at least before joining back the office. This ordeal would have been so much easier if she had not chosen to be independent and was still living with her parents. She missed them so much, even her brat brother Samit. She repented the day she decided to live alone. The little bits of privacy compromises were not worth so much drama.
That night she binged watched and fell asleep with the TV on. The next day she wore the dress her father brought for her 21st birthday last year when she stayed with them and she hasn't worn it even once as it was not her style. Her father would be happy to see her wearing it now. God knows how frightful her detention must have been for them since they were not allowed to visit, just speak over the phone. Her father had still somehow come twice to the hospital but was turned away and not allowed to meet.
Finally, her heart pulsating with happiness she reached her parents’ home. The door was ajar as she entered.
She seethed in anger to see Ramesh there.
"What was this rascal doing here? I will teach him a lesson that he will never forget!"
Ramesh was saying
"Anna Didi would have wanted you to at least have her phone and diary. She was so nice. It is so sad that she passed away at the hospital and you couldn't even get her body."
Anna watched in horror at her parents crying inconsolably, her brother too, as she notices her photo with a garland on the wall!
This wasn't the reunion she wanted. Now there was no time to tell them how much she loved them, how much they meant to her, not her career or money.
Ramesh continued "She had told me to tell you that she has put some message in her diary and phone if she doesn't make it."
Anna smiled to oblivion.Shiv Nirula
“Today is the last day. Thank goodness,” she reminded herself.
This lockdown and especially her quarantine had taught her the importance of family and friends. She felt so guilty of being so engrossed in work that she hardly visited her parents once a month who lived just a 15 minutes’ drive away. But she had her priorities. She was a young rising executive and her office's main liaison with the China branch. True that the visit to China was the reason for her getting infected with Coronavirus.
"I wish I had come back in January itself rather than tagging out till mid-February there, I would have escaped the virus" she mused the 100th time.
Ever since she tested positive it was a horror ride with her going to the hospital in the government van, treatment in that shabby infrastructure, unhygienic foods, and the misery around her. It was just her phone and her diary that helped her survive and that rascal Ramesh had stolen it. She couldn't believe how helpful he acted just to steal her stuff. Anyway, all that is behind her. She is now cured and just has to complete these 14 days at home so she doesn't infect anyone especially her parents. Tomorrow morning, I will go to them. Give them a nice surprise and stay with them for a month at least before joining back the office. This ordeal would have been so much easier if she had not chosen to be independent and was still living with her parents. She missed them so much, even her brat brother Samit. She repented the day she decided to live alone. The little bits of privacy compromises were not worth so much drama.
That night she binged watched and fell asleep with the TV on. The next day she wore the dress her father brought for her 21st birthday last year when she stayed with them and she hasn't worn it even once as it was not her style. Her father would be happy to see her wearing it now. God knows how frightful her detention must have been for them since they were not allowed to visit, just speak over the phone. Her father had still somehow come twice to the hospital but was turned away and not allowed to meet.
Finally, her heart pulsating with happiness she reached her parents’ home. The door was ajar as she entered.
She seethed in anger to see Ramesh there.
"What was this rascal doing here? I will teach him a lesson that he will never forget!"
Ramesh was saying
"Anna Didi would have wanted you to at least have her phone and diary. She was so nice. It is so sad that she passed away at the hospital and you couldn't even get her body."
Anna watched in horror at her parents crying inconsolably, her brother too, as she notices her photo with a garland on the wall!
This wasn't the reunion she wanted. Now there was no time to tell them how much she loved them, how much they meant to her, not her career or money.
Ramesh continued "She had told me to tell you that she has put some message in her diary and phone if she doesn't make it."
Anna smiled to oblivion.Shiv Nirula
