Smile and say cheese as the pandemic is not that bad

At the outset, I will say be happy, smile, and say cheese before you start reading this story. The pandemic has disturbed our life like never before and this has led to a gloomy outlook all across. The news channels and newspapers talk more about statistics rather than empathising with the lives we have lost. The discussion during the morning walk or an evening stroll is all about the rising Covid numbers or the families in quarantine.

The number of infected people that seemed under control till July is rising again and this time at a rapid pace. Suddenly India that was much better placed than Europe, the USA, and South America is leading the charts.  The lockdown and lack of socializing have not only made people depressed but also increased their anxiety levels.

But there few positive sides also that we have overlooked. I am sure the story will make you smile and say cheese.

The maids can’t lie

A very interesting episode happened at my home today. The maid called my wife early in the morning informing her that she will not be coming to work as she was running a high fever along with body ache. A couple of days earlier also she had taken leave on the pretext that her grandson was vomiting and having a fever and so she needed to take care of him.

My wife pressed the panic button as the maid had was seen coughing the previous day. She called her back and told her not to come to work for next week and asked her to immediately get tested for covid. Also, as a protocol, she told her that she will inform the RWA society and they will ban her entry for the next 2 weeks. Within half-an-hour, the maid called back that her doctor is saying that she is all-right as her temperature is normal and it is tiredness because of which she is having body ache.

It means that maids have lost their biggest weapon of taking leaves on the pretext that they are running a fever.

The wives can smile and say cheese

With team meetings happening on Zoom virtually every day, spouses are happy. They can now keep an eye on the beauties in the office who kept their husband busy the entire day. Most of them are not worth it but one particular species keeps calling him despite taking instructions on Zoom.

The spouse passes a remark about her, “Is she dumb or pretends to be one ?” If the entire team understood the concept explained by you in the meeting then why can’t she understand the same? Nobody has called you for clarification except her. And why is she calling you ten times?

The husband anyway has no answer except agreeing that she is a bit dumb. A prompt reply comes from the spouse “Stay away from her if she is so dumb”.

Husbands are chilled out

The smile on the husband’s face seems like he is posing for a camera and will say cheese. There are no more arguments on excessive shopping bills. The demand for Patola sarees and Michael Kors handbags have disappeared. Though this is not a good sign for the economy but the husband’s economic position has improved.

The wardrobe in the kid’s room is breathing easy for the last 6 months. There is no new addition of sneakers in the son’s infinite shoe collection in the bottom shelf. The overburdened hangar rod in daughter’s wardrobe that she keeps testing for the Youngs modulus for elasticity is getting back in shape due to lack of a new collection of dresses. On the other hand, the dressing table is heaving a sigh of relief as there is no new collection of cosmetics that have been added to the existing ones. Even the maid is happy as fewer lipsticks and nail paint mean less dust on the surface.

The Savings in the husband’s bank has gone up as unnecessary expenses have been curtailed. It’s a different matter that the salary has lost one zero in the end during the pandemic.

Goodbye greedy cinema halls

Watching a movie had become an expensive affair. Leading chains like PVR and INOX have priced their tickets at Rs 350. This clubbed with popcorns sold at cashew nut prices and tea sold at hard liquor prices made the entire movie-watching experience a big drain on pocket. A family of four would spend at least Rs 2000 on one movie. And if by any chance the movie was a flop then the person sponsoring this failed mission would think twice before saying yes to the next one.

Smile and say cheese as weddings are no more extravagant

Weddings and parties have taken a back seat. Family weddings were the perfect place for meeting relatives and cousins and refreshing childhood memories. It was also a great platform to look for a bride or a groom for one of your kids. Parties were a great way to de-stress from work.

The grandeur weddings have been reduced to need-based functions of 50 people. The expensive banquet halls have got replaced by simple RWA party halls. And it seems everybody has accepted the new norms of a simple wedding with a few guests. An invitation can be sent through the mail rather than expensive wedding cards.

All this will lead to a lot of savings both at the groom and bride side. Parents can invest the money saved in the account of the newly-weds. It will surely make the couple smile and say cheese while taking a selfie.

The pandemic has made us realise the importance of money. People have become savvy when it comes to spending. Days of wasteful expenditure are over. The future is all about intelligent utilisation of resources whether at the home, office, or on planet earth.

Read more such stories on my blog. Click on the following link:

The Great Indian Wedding: It’s time for celebration

The Quarantine Lessons from the author who became a victim

To learn more on how to stay positive during the pandemic you can click on the following link:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/2020/05/how-to-keep-kids-positive-through-pandemic-coronavirus/