She was sitting at the far end of the church where the boats still arrive. I have known her for as long as I have been coming to Vallarpadam. At first, I knew her as the wife of a hard working fisherman, then as a helpless wife of the same fisherman who have taken to heavy drinking and finally as as an enterprising honest woman who sells candles and flowers to the visiting devotees. I liked her last role because she was proud to earn her living rather than rely on devotees charity. Sun or shine, she was out in the church compound walking around and offering candles, her face always burned by the sun and energy sapped by the heat. But she always had a cheerful smile on her face and never cursed the devotees who turned down her candle offer.
So when I saw her on the all souls day sitting under the tree by the jetty, a bit felling sad, I asked, " what has Corona done to you?"
She smiled and sat silent for a while and said, "church is closed for over six months now, nobody is coming to church and there is no candles sale any more."
Yes, it was a difficult situation, I assured her she is not alone in her anxiety and disappointment, we all are going through the same phase.
"How come you are here at the jetty?" I asked a little surprised since I have hardly seen her at that side of the church.
She pointed at the boat moored in the lake and told me, "they will throw me some fishes after a while for the dinner", shaking the paper bag she was carrying in her hand.
It didn't take long to make out her situation, she gets rice from the govt. free and her curry from the kindness of the boat fishermen. The neighborhood brotherhood, helping hands in the time of need and the disaster.
I was glad and grateful that this hard working lady is somehow surviving the Corona and its devastating impact.
As I walked away I realised, I didn't have anything with me to spare for her, except my prayers for her.
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