21/01/2022
"My wish whether to put facemasks or not"
A few days ago, I was going to one of my villages in Bumthang for my annual Rimdo. I was traveling by bus with more than rest of the 25 passengers. When I look into thier eyes, just like mine, I can see that all are having one's own reason and purpose whether genuine or leisure they are travelling by. The passengers in the bus travelling includes from 3 months old babies to 80 year old grandparents.
As usual, I like travelling by bus because it's safe, and nonetheless a only affordable transport service for a middle class people like me.
However, on that journey time, the saddest part is how our people become very complacent. I found most people caught up with cough and cold. Believing it's okay because it's a common- cold season, but they don't seem to bother anyone else sitting inside the bus. They don't seem to put on the mask. Instead they cough and sneeze very openly without any sight of hesitation. There is no one to tell to put the face mask on. There is nobody who cares about people are coughing so badly from the deep throat. The bus driver is busy on his own job. The bus assistant without face mask comes around to check up passengers ticket. And there is no one who does inspect people to put the face mask. People are on their own way coughing, sneezing and even don't bother throwing their sputum on the bus floor and then literally wiping it with thier legs. Sometimes, the breath of thier cough falls against my face with some droplets. I saw these people continuously struggling with cough trying to clear throat as possible. My god! We are travelling in a public transport. How dare this people.
I was very hesitant. I always put my mask on. Just like underwear, I carry more than ten to fifteen mask on my travel. I do not mean to say that I won't be infected if one of us is with a virus. Little safe to say and I can assure that I won't carry virus all way back to home where I have my children, wife and families. I think taking care to that level helps not only me and family but the community as well. And doing these to protect myself felt that it's enough.
I was sitting near to that aunty. She is caught up so badly with cough. She looks strong preferably in her 30s. I saw her doing all I mentioned. I requested if she don't mind wearing the face mask by indirectly offering my new masks. I requested this after her several nasty moments. On to my surprise, she yelled at me. "Alo! You don't know anything. Its just a cough. It's my wish whether to put the mask or not. Who are you to tell me? Are you the government officer to instruct me? Useless youths trying to disrespect people. That's the reason youth remaining unemployed". She really felt bad on me. Then she continued. "What is the point? If one people is infected with virus here in the bus, all will be infected. Do your own job. Do you think I don't have a mask? Here, I have many."
She opened her bag and put it back again by remarking, " Jadha" on me.
I didn't react to her like what she told to me. I simply said "Sorry madam. It's my fault". On reaching Trongsa, the other one passenger drove by and left her seat empty. I immediately jumped to that seat not because I fear for her anger but to avoid and relax herself from feeling bad on me. I'm sorry, if she was having some genuine health issues. Then it would be different one.
The moral is we all have wishes and freedom. Who would control that. No one can. However, in the middle peak of corona virus, let's sacrifice our personal comfort. Please, let's be mindful, whether caught up with cough or not, it's important to always put the mask. This post is not to criticize anyone including herself but we are living in this sickening situation of COVID 19. After all, we all need to live. We all want happiness. This post is such that in future if one of us travels, we aware that each and every one of us has a collective responsibility.
