Not YET another COVID-19 rant!

So, COVID-19 took the world by a storm. Now there’s news (or is it a conspiracy theory?) by a Nobel prize winning scientist who first helped discover AIDS that COVID-19 is man made and was developed by a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan to fight AIDs but escaped by ‘accident’.

If the whistleblower was a Chinese man, he would have been imprisoned, sliced and diced and made to disappear without a trace. And then when things get out of hand maybe China would concede to the mishap, like they did while declaring an epidemic after the whole world already figured it out.

But he isn’t a Chinese man, therefore Montagnier is requesting China to be graceful about it and accept the fact. The story will unfold in the days to come.

In the meanwhile, we in India are in a COVID-19 instigated lock down. That is, those of us who believe that they are not invincible, unkillable, irreplacable, irresponsible, callous, foolish, idiotic, brain dead pieces of **** are under lock down. A few have shown first signs of blooming dementia and others have started talking to their cats. In fact when I mentioned this to my dog on the phone the other day, we had a good laugh.

On the home front, I was about to head back home to Delhi from Mumbai when the lock down took effect, I am still in Mumbai. My wife is in Delhi with our two dogs. She says they are having long and enriching conversations about the facts of life. While in Germany, I was told by a friend who lives there that there is no lock down and all the Norse Gods are roaming around as if it was Asgard.

Good for them!

Kindle versions of my latest book, ‘Fear of God’, are selling well. I am happy for it. I signed a movie deal for the book barely two months after its release. Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled about it. Its a dream come true. I guess I have no clear idea when the movie will be made given the situation, but I am hoping it will be sooner rather than later. In other news, I took part in India’s first online Literature Festival which lasted the whole of last week. 600 authors took part in it. It was on ZOOM and was cast on Facebook live. It was, to say the least, a very enriching and heartwarming experience.

Finally, I am working from home. It can be fun since I am as it is a homie. Don’t much like venturing out unless it is absolutely important. Hey, that’s a writer’s hallmark. But then, I also work for a living and that used to make me venture out, suited and booted. Not anymore. But I do missing going to our office, meeting my colleagues at work and having a light lunch in our lavish cafeteria.

The world has changed. The shift was not gradual. It was immediate and drastic. All the things we took for granted, like eating from a street vendor’s stall, Ubering it, jamming into an elevator with colleagues to travel 29 floors, all of it has changed. Forever? Maybe not, but for a long time. So what is the change going to be like? How will the existing order of things be replaced? How long is it going to take to adapt to the new conditions?

There’s only one thing I know. Those who adapt are those who succeed. Those who resist will be left behind. The only constant in life, is change. And while we are at it, also remember…This Too Shall Pass!

Be safe. Stay healthy. Stay at home!

Love you all,

Vadhan