The Place Exchange

Untitled Sonya Battla The lockdown happened suddenly and unceremoniously. I could not have prepared for what ensued even if I had known this was to happen. I was listening in to the Wuhan reports on BBC wondering why someone would eat a bat in the first place. But Wuhan was a long way. I had not anticipated Covid crossing my path so soon.

In March people coming back from a holy trip to Iran brought it back with them. The first cases of the dreaded virus were here.

Nearly all 70 members travelling on that bus from Iran to Pakistan perished.

As there were no precaution in place there was a fear of an invisible creature and that fear resulted in an immediate lock down across my province. Leaving us all immobilized for the next four weeks. I had travel plans to spend my birthday back in London towards the end of March. But they never materialized.

Initial thoughts were that I’ll delay the trip by a few weeks. That I will not be able to make it at all was not an option I could then conceive.

As time went on my thoughts turned to my apartment in London. I usually leave my plants with the care-taker of the building so they would be fine. But my winter jackets were hanging, as I was there in February 2020 and was planning to come back in a month’s time. I had not packed them in the cupboard. The winter boots were still on the entrance shoe stand.

The building gate opens onto the road and crossing the double road gets you into Holland Park. Memory slipped past the gate onto the wooden bench I would usually sit on and check my shoe 11