Faking Corona

Faking Corona (FC)

There we go - a long holiday (so-called) for the students of the institute. The fear of corona spreading, due to mass gathering led the institution to take this decision. We all could see within half an hour of the decision - the entire institute was aware of it. Even the Bengali students had started their packing, and even funnier some have already left the campus! Students were calling their parents, booking tickets, deciding whether to go or not to go. Amidst all this chaos I received a text message - "Why do you want to know my identity?"

Well, I kind of expected this. The reason I thought might be the confession on the confession page, which drew the attention of almost half the sophomores of the department. Someone, French Curve, as the name goes - had written a confusing confession. It was about something which only me and my group of five boys knew exactly. The question that popped was - how could someone know in such detail? And for that very reason, we five guys had created a long thread of comments regarding the identity of French Curve (abbreviated as FC) under that confession. We were clear that none of us was FC but still can't say.

I didn't reply. The next day, I woke up, and suddenly my urge to become famous in the entire campus got a direction. What if I faked I am suffering from Corona? I have to just get a few symptoms, fake a few diagnostic tests, and boom! It would be official. I started dreaming - In all Facebook pages, all information pages, all newsletters - everywhere in bold - my name. Wow! Everyone would know me. I would get a lot of care and well-wishes to get cured. The idea got firmly implanted in my brain. I was unable to see the consequences and the problem that the administration and all other campus residents would be suffering from.

Both my roommates had already departed. So, I had no one to share this seemingly brilliant idea of becoming famous. I was hell determined. And at that very moment, I received a text from FC - "No reply? By the way, thinking of faking it?"

There was no possible way of anybody getting a hint of the idea that I thought just now, let alone knowing it, and messaging. 

"Curiosity" - replied to the first message. 

"Faking what?" - replied to the second message.

"The disease" - came the reply.

And that was enough for me to conclude that FC is incomprehensible.

I replied nothing. I did my daily chores and walked to the hospital to show symptoms. Dry cough was an easy one. Fever, I was somehow feeling warm enough. Sore throat, I have to think something regarding that and difficulty in breathing, well I could act. All set thus.

I met one of the doctors, who knew me somewhat. I said that these are the problems I am facing, what should I do? He checked me - and then hurriedly called one of his colleagues. He even checked and confirmed, they asked me to go to ward four. I reached there, a nurse was standing, I got quarantined as a suspect of coronavirus. I was happy and expected within the afternoon, my name would be in everybody's mouth. I was so much obsessed about getting famous that, I even forgot to tell the truth to my parents. We should realize that on the way of getting famous, we should carry our parents, friends, close ones - not leave them.

I received one more text - "Again no reply? But my goodness, you enacted well to get admitted. Where are your feet? I wanna touch 'em"

Having no other job to do, I started talking to FC. "I am not faking it - you heard what the doc said, right? I might die, and you are finding it funny?"

"Have you thought, what would happen if this goes to the ear of your parents? Your friends, if they come to know that you are faking about such a serious thing, how would they feel? Would they be able to digest that the guy they revered so much, could do this nonsense to get fame?"

I went into silence - I had not pondered on these things. Yeah, it was true - my parents would feel they have spent all their life raising a child who turned out to be like this. I would rather lose than gain respect and love from my friends. What the hell was I seriously doing?

I saw the nurse standing in front of me - "Your name, sir?"

I snatched the form, tore it, and ran from the ward, informed the doc, and rushed back to the room. I opened my messages to write a long 'Thank You' note to FC. Instead, I saw, 'You can no longer reply to this conversation'.

I don't know who FC was, but I truly wanted to meet. A brilliant person. Sometimes we get busy with stupid ideas to earn fame, that we forget, we have people who are looking at us with respect, love, and care. I laughed at my idea, as I sat on the bed. Both faking corona (FC) and French Curve (FC) remain confined to me and FC.

-Siba Smarak Panigrahi

(Dedicated to French Curve)