It's so wonderfully beautiful out there, don't you think? Terrible, isn't it? Spring awakening in quarantine. You want to break out. Well, there' s no sign of an upswing these days. So quiet, so empty, spring feelings shattered. The sound of silence. Quarantine, you know, it's French. Although, no, that's Italian again, and Latin again, well, you know how it is with words. 40 days, anyway! New arrivals were required to spend 40 days off shore before they were allowed ashore. Back then: there was Venice, there the Mediterranean was the hub of the world, at least in Europe. I've added it up in the kitchen, 40 days are over here with us on 25 April. I can't wait any longer. But, I don't want to complain. Whining on a high level, I always say. I have a roof over my head, and in the supermarket you can get everything again, even toilet paper. Keep calm, keep a cool head, I always say. Life must go on somehow. We still have it good here.
Do you know what time it is?
All right, all right, I got a little more time to kill. At home I watch and listen to a lot of news again. The radio talks all day long. It's a stirring time, don't you think? And so much grief and sorrow and shaking my head. Terrible pictures. I like that Zamperoni, though. Have you noticed? The others on the Tagesthemen have hair that's so stylishly done, too, immaculate. My hair, on the other hand, is all tousled, I'm wearing a cap. Not so Zamperoni. "Stay confident", he always says at the end of the show. There's a lot of hope in that. And that's what it takes all over the world. You can see how other countries deal with it very well. In India, policemen with long sticks whip people apart if they're caught in a group. In Iceland, they use detectives to identify people with the virus and then isolate them. France is at war, Macron said. Spain and Italy are suffering particularly from the epidemic. Elsewhere, mobile apps and drones are being used. In Mexico, medical personnel have already been harassed. I thought I was missing something. In the Philippines, they want to shoot at all those who break the curfew! Holy cow! In North Korea, they have nothing better to do right now than test missiles. Do the ordinary people there know that the world around them is just shutting itself in? The scenes in the US are also devastating. The worst is probably yet to come, if this continues. We're still well here, thanks to Bismarck.
Oh, bless you!
Yeah, you just did it right, always sneeze into the crook of your arm, always into the crook of your arm. And don't forget to wash your hands. My goodness, the things you have to explain to people today! But there is the Internet. Although, there are also crazy and bizarre theories circulating everywhere. Seriously, some people believe that 5G towers spread the virus. What more can you say? I understand that this permanent crisis mode and all the right and wrong information can be overwhelming, that everyone is looking for answers and explanations, but I think this hysteria is as threatening as the virus. Fear and ignorance form a highly explosive mixture. That's why I like hearing that guy Drosten. It's that virologist at the Berlin Charité. I have to concentrate really hard to follow him when he talks. And he's already breaking everything down for us! So reflected, so prudent and gentle like cat's paws.
Oh, you have a dog? I didn't know you had a dog. I always see you without one.
Well, he's probably wondering why you're home so much, right? They're all at home in their own homes now: Home office, if you're lucky enough to still have a job. Yes, a lot can be clarified via e-mail. To be honest, I'm always so damn curious then, I think it's quite nice to have a look into the living rooms of the others, so comfortably furnished. A deep insight into the private sphere, suddenly a form of personal closeness arises, don't you think? But as I said, many things simply go online, virtual inaugural visits, video summits of heads of state and government, awfully important business lunches, seminars and so on. We should keep that in mind for afterwards. What does not go online is saying goodbye to people we love. It's really heartbreaking.
Oh, gee, do you have a tissue?
Thank you, forgive me for crying, but that is the saddest thing in the whole story. Sick people in intensive care, facing death and dying alone without the presence of family and friends. Families and friends who are not allowed to say goodbye personally. Terrible. It hurts so bad.
No, no, thanks, I'll be fine in a minute.
I don't want us to part ways with this feeling right now. I like you very much, I want you to know that. Oh, that's nice. Yes, indeed, a lot of things are coming up now. The most beautiful and ugliest traits of human beings, battered health systems and the consequences of our dealings with nature, the ever faster destruction of habitats, as the science journalist Sonia Shah put it in "LE MONDE diplomatique". You know, this virus will be with us for many more years, the world will be a different place, President Steinmeier also said. I am quite sure that in the future everyone will remember what they experienced in spring 2020. It will occupy a prominent place in people's collective memory and will change our perception of the world. But in what direction? We will have to think and talk about many things. After the great plague of that time came humanism. True, these are exciting times for the sciences! Not only for virologists, but also for sociologists, political scientists, urban biologists, all fields are equally affected.
Do you have the time for me once again, please?
Well, I have to hurry, the pharmacy will be closing soon. And I'd like to have a little chat there as well. The staff there is so nice and helpful. The next time we meet, everything will look very different. Why don't you bring your dog? By the way, did you see the happy faces of the people from Wuhan on TV after they received the news that they can leave the place? I'm looking forward to this day with us. Then I hope I won't have to think about Rilke's panther anymore. Isn't it crazy? That, given all the things we usually argue about, we realise that time really is the most important resource in our lives. Well, I've got to get going. I wish you strength and all the best!
TEXT Enrico Blasnik