When Viruses Attack!

When Viruses Attack!
19th July 2001

My classmates have been dropping like flies. One by one, all of them are being afflicted by this malady. They’ve been crashing for a few days, recovering and promptly passing it on to the next poor victim.

Who, in this case, happens to be me.

It started with a sore throat last night, which worsened this morning. I could feel the ache in my shoulders – still can – and my eyelids are heavy. I went to college and walked out of the first lecture. I headed for the Health Centre, hoping to obtain some healing herbs.

But instead of a smiling, sympathetic doctor and the Sanjivani mountain, all I got was a frown, three Crocin and a few Ayurvedic lozenges. For no additional charge, the doctor added a few cursory pronouncements about the diet I should follow, and then sent me packing.

Haggard, shivering, I made my way into the classroom. Picked up my bag and headed for the Computer Labs, hoping to print the dummy for the newsletter I had designed the previous night. The software seemed to be ill as well, for it refused to print. It also forced me to change some fonts and alignments. To compound my woes, I had two fans whirring at top speed above me.

I had no choice but to take a rickshaw home. I had to pick up a few essentials, which I did. Even the supermarket owner commented on my appearance. I personally feel that I am still irresistible. Just ask the girls, who were all over me with worry this morning.

Spoke to Mom, who initially thought I had returned to Bombay. After setting her straight, I prepared some soup – God bless concentrated food powders – which seemed like manna from heaven. And then, after dosing myself liberally with vitamins, cough syrup and Crocin, I curled up in bed with a blanket and went off to sleep.

I’ve been awake since 1530 now. Reading L. Ron Hubbard’s classic slugfest Battlefield Earth. Very entertaining indeed.

On the advice of my father, I made a trip down the road to obtain some booze. No, there are no sorrows to drown. It’s just that brandy has medicinal value, which I plan to tap in plenty tonight.
Believe it or not, the fresh air has done me some good.

I’ve been relaxing since then. Thinking about nothing, really. My overworked grey cells are finally getting the rest they need. As is the rest of my weary, care-worn body.

It’s amazing how much concern my classmates have shown. Chubby forced me to take a rickshaw home, even though it set me back 44 bucks. Snowflake, Ads, Bunny, Mallu and all the rest have been very concerned. No sign of Smelly. I don’t give a damn anyway, but the person I thought would be the most caring before I arrived here has been the least. What goes around comes around, I guess. The decency and kindness I try to maintain during interpersonal activity may be returning to me when I am in need of it. At least one of my life’s philosophies seems to be working out well for me. I’ll let you know about the other two later on – that’s another story altogether.

The sounds of Enigma echo in my head, playing off the CD as I type this article in. It’s altogether possible – 90% probable, in fact – that I will skip college tomorrow. Stay at home, get myself back into shape to face the uncountable, unspeakable horrors that our Director and his Deputy throw at us daily. But, as the song goes, I will survive.

I still haven’t been able to pin down the responsibility for this illness on anything. Fatigue or virus? Both? Who knows. Methinks it’s this virus that seems to be going around the class, rejecting host after host. And, for the first time in my life, I am praying for a rejection. From this entity anyways.

Laid low, I can only ponder upon this fruitless toil of existence that we go through. And then laugh as the poor philosopher inside me is buried once again under the natural me, the logical me.

Symptoms of what happens when viruses attack?