#21Days

Day 14

11.30 am

I am driving to the Sippy Mansion on Napean Sea Road, carrying two small test-tubes that resemble the ones they draw blood in. And two individually packaged q-tips, one fluffier than the other. Rohit has also handed me an entire roll of barcoded labels that read, Sukhmani Sippy.

I smile recalling his instructions during the early hours of the morning.

"Wear a face mask and gloves," he said pulling out a pair of surgical gloves from his bag and handing them to me. "And here," he said retrieving two packs of bleach wipes. "Use these liberally. Make sure you don't touch any surface without disinfecting it with a wipe first. If Badi Ma has the virus, we don't know what all surfaces in the house have it.

"Hand these packages to Dad," he said, handing me the test-tubes and q-tips. "He'll know what to do with them."

Rohit then proceeded to bring out two ziplock bags that had also been barcoded and labeled Sukhmani Sippy. One of them read Oropharyngeal Sample and the other Nasopharyngeal sample. "Give these to him too. Ask him to place the swabs in the respective bags. When he hands them back, Sona, use the disinfectant wipes to wipe them down properly before placing both of them into this bigger ziplock bag. Wipe the bigger ziplock bag down before placing it in the car. And come straight to the hospital."

"Rohit, aren't you being overly precautious?" I joked. His face turned grave. He walked up to me and held me by the shoulder.

"No amount of precaution is enough Sona. You don't know how bad this thing is. The worst is yet to come."

I sobered up at that and walked into his arms. He hugged me. "I'm sorry, that was a bad joke," I said. He hugged me closer and talked into my hair. "Sona, every day I see patients struggling to recover from this disease, not just old and young people, or those that are immuno-compromised but men and women, boys and girls of all age-groups. And what I'm seeing is that things are only getting worse, more complicated. I know there is a race on the pharmaceutical side of things to find a cure as of yesterday, but yesterday hasn't come as yet. Until then, we doctors have to hold the fort. And believe me, it's getting harder day by day."

I tilted my head up to look at him. I could see a mix of desperation and hope and something else. Desperation for the current situation, hope for the future, and something else? I know that Badi Ma is still at the back of his mind. After all, doctors are human too.

*****

12.30 pm

I'm waiting at the reception area at the Sippy Mansion. There is no one there. I presume the receptionist is not coming to work, just like the many others who're being forced to stay home. Are the Sippy's continuing to pay their staff while they're away? I make a mental note to ask Rohit when I get back. In the meanwhile, I walk up to the intercom on the reception desk and dial 112. I know the extension to Rohit's parent's room. I've dialed that number a few times. Ma picks up the phone. I inform her that I've arrived and am waiting at the reception.

A few minutes later, Ma and Rohit's Dad are greeting me. Everyone in the house is wearing a mask. I'm not going to wonder how they managed to get hold of so many masks overnight when the entire city is struggling to find one. 

I hand over the test kits to Rohit's Dad who promptly takes them and makes his way toward his mother's room. Ma stays in the reception area with me.

She offers me a drink, which I politely decline. Rohit has specifically forbidden me from eating or drinking anything at his place.

"Sona, we don't know who's carrying the virus and not showing symptoms. It's not worth the risk."

She understands.