Corona Daily 361: Buchette del Vino

Florence, one of the world’s most charming cities, has successfully revived for the pandemic something created four centuries ago.

Northern and central Italy, including Florence, was ravaged by the bubonic plague between 1630 and 1633. It reportedly killed two million Italians, one third of its population then.  Wine merchants understood the plague’s gravity. They created Buchette del vino (little wine holes) to pass the flask to the client. Customers would place their coins on a metal pallet passed through the wine hole. Sellers disinfected the coins with vinegar before putting them away. When the plague was raging, the wine would be passed through a metal tube to the customer’s flask. People could knock on the little wooden shutters and have their bottles filled with wine from the Antinori, Frescobaldi and Ricasoli families. Some of these names are still around.

Even after the plague epidemic was over, the little wine holes served several functions. Traditionally, Italian aristocratic families had diversified businesses such as real estate or wine production. Behind the pintsize wine hole was a ground floor room that was connected to the cellar. The wine producer could sell directly to the consumer avoiding all middlemen, making the wine cheaper. For some merchants, it was a discreet way to avoid taxes. Anonymity was assured for both the customer and the seller. Occasionally, passing monks or beggars were given free wine as charity.

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The Buchettes were unique to Florence and Tuscany. Other than the functional use, the wine windows display renaissance-era architecture. Each window represents the taste and architectural style of the elite owner. Most windows are elegant, arch shaped, but each one is different. Some are encased by coloured stone frames, some made of bricks, others feature iron grates. In some cases, the holes are built straight into the mansion’s gates. An American photographer Robbin Gheesling has published a book “Wine doors of Florence”, exhibiting some lovely pictures.

Since it is Italy, the original hatches were created aesthetically. Usually made of wood, some had miniature paintings – still life or religious imagery. Functionality was primary, but cultural refinement was evident.

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Over the centuries, the wine windows gradually became defunct. Many wooden holes were permanently lost in the 1966 floods. In 2015, the Wine Windows Association was formed to preserve this singular heritage. The latest count on their website shows about 175 Buchettes in Florence and some 100 outside.

Once the Covid-19 pandemic began, and Italy was in particularly bad shape, enterprising Florentine wine window owners repeated the 16th century history. Babae bistro, with uncanny foresight, had started serving customers through the little window in the summer of 2019. Gelateria Vivoli, Florence’s famous ice cream parlour, started in May. Since then, several antigerm windows sell wine, Aperol spritzes, ice creams and sandwiches.  

While Covid-19 continues, it may be a good idea for other cities in the world to consider copying this renaissance-era invention. In times of epidemic, people will welcome a mechanism to buy booze safely.  

Ravi

Corona Daily 362: Mara’s Story: Part Final

A suggestion, even the thought, of postponing Mara’s travel to a later time, was terrifying for Thomas Sciolla.

Mara needed to travel 2700 km over a week. Elephants can’t be anesthetized for that long. For months, Mara was being trained to spend days in the metal container that would carry her. The team had worked hard to make sure she remains awake and calm in the container, can live, eat, rest and play and not feel enclosed. The container had a large sustaining harness for Mara to rest. She had started entering the box on her own. This long training would be wasted if the trip was postponed.

Water samples were taken from her trunk to see if she suffered from any infections such as tuberculosis. She had patiently presented her front feet, then back feet, then each ear to her trainers who had drawn blood from those parts for analysis. Permits from both countries were based on the results.

Mr Sciolla spent a month coordinating with multiple ministries and two national governments. The desperation in his voice finally paid off. In the second week of May, the elephant would make a journey that human beings were prohibited from making.

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On 9 May, employees of the Buenos Aires zoo witnessed a three hour heavyweight operation. Mara entered her metal container, heavier than her because a crane had to lift it. The crane placed it on a truck. The special truck left with three escort vehicles. Mara’s container had a stock of pears, watermelons, carrots, alfalfa and bran among other things.

‘We are going to miss Mara very much, but we know the Brazilian sanctuary is the best destination for her.’ Said Eduardo Macchinvalli, the environment secretary.

Mara travelled mostly awake, pampered by her caretakers on the journey. They ensured she was well hydrated and calm. Fifteen people with little sleep, the truck, and the escorting vehicles travelled for 109 hours, with only two nights for the people to rest in hotels.

Argentina and Brazil had to relax their strict border controls. Mara and four people from Argentina were allowed to cross the border as a special case. The last forty mile road to the sanctuary was rough. In another major operation, the box was lifted by another crane and moved to a Brazilian truck. Mara finally arrived at the sanctuary that is 1100 hectares in size, full of open spaces, grass and trees.

She voluntarily descended from the box, and walked a little shyly for the first time through a natural environment. The first thing she did was to take a sand shower with her trunk, and then a long nap.

“The long and risky journey and preparing for it was all worth it when you see that an animal that has spent most of her life in an unnatural way, connecting with her essence and what she is. For her, it took a long time.” Said Thomas Sciolla.

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Mara is very tactile, she likes to feel by touch. In the sanctuary, she touches grass, trees with her trunk first. When she saw another Asian elephant, Rana, she lifted her front leg to touch her. Then she squealed with joy. Rana was also rescued from a circus. Now Mara and Rana go for walks together. The sanctuary people wonder if Rana was also born in India, and whether they knew each other some fifty years ago.

Another 25 years of free living in the spacious Brazilian sanctuary would at least partially compensate for Mara’s half century in captivity.

Ravi

Corona Daily 363: Mara’s Story: Part One

In April, Thomas Sciolla, a wildlife and conservation manager was having a phone conversation with a bureaucrat from the Argentinean ministry. Yes, he understood the ministry was dealing with a crisis. But Mr Sciolla needed help to execute what had been planned for the last three years. The man from the ministry couldn’t believe his ears. With Argentina and Brazil in a lockdown, borders between them shut; Mr Sciolla wanted permissions to relocate a full sized elephant from Buenos Aires to Brazil.

The name of the Asian elephant was “Mara”. A little over fifty years of age, she weighed 5.5 tons, with dimensions of 5 (l) x 2 (w) x 3 (h) meters. For the past 25 years, Mara had lived at the Buenos Aires zoo. In that smallish zoo, she shared an enclosure with two African elephants, Kooky and Pupy. Apparently, Asian and African elephants have no common language. Mara often spent hours swaying her head in a circle, a typical sign of stress in captive elephants. Elephants are social creatures. Mara was essentially a prisoner at the Palermo Zoo. In 2016, Argentina renamed the place ‘Eco Park’. That didn’t change Mara’s plight.

Finally, a sensible committee made a plan to send the animals in captivity to sanctuaries in different parts of the world. A sanctuary in Brazil agreed to host Mara. But much paperwork would be required (to prevent smuggling of endangered species). Bureaucracy in both nations required Mara’s CV starting from birth.

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Mara’s case became famous in the Argentinean media. People began sending information. The Tejidor family, owners of a number of circuses, reported they had purchased Mara as a baby elephant in the early 1970s from Tierpark Hagenbeck, a zoo in Hamburg, Germany. That zoo confirmed it had bought Mara from India, where she was born in captivity at a work camp. Victor Tejidor, whose grandfather owned the circus, remembered Mara as a family member, adorable, intelligent, hungry for attention and affection. Mara travelled with them across Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, performing for the crowds. Old photos show her performing tricks on a small stool, balancing on her front feet.

In 1980, when Mara was twelve, the Tejidor family wound up the business and sold Mara to Circo Rodas, another circus. That is when her traumatic life began. She refused to perform, and killed the trainer. In articles about her, the adjective ‘killer’ is sometimes present. She suffered abuse at the new place. The constant chaining has caused a deformity in her right foot.

In 1995, Argentina banned the exploitation of animals in circuses. Mara was sent to the zoo in Buenos Aires. The nature of her captivity changed. For the next 25 years, the globetrotter spent a lonely life in a small enclosure.

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In 2014, Argentina had become the first country to recognize an orangutan named Sandra as a non-human person. She was given legal rights of her own. Later, she was sent to a Florida sanctuary. By March 2020, 860 animals had been relocated. Other than Sandra, the Orangutan, Mara was the most famous animal in the Buenos Aires zoo. She would be number 861.

The Brazilian sanctuary was 2700 km away. It was out of the question to take Mara on a flight. Elephants need a lengthy crate and noise training. And the expense would be $750,000 to $ 1 million. It was decided she would be taken by road. Permissions were sought. And then the pandemic happened.

(To be continued)

Ravi

Corona Daily 364: Language costs Lives

Language can cost lives, as well as save lives.

Clarity is paramount in the message of the nation or its leaders. Look at the messages Denmark issued before Easter. “Cancel Easter Lunch”, “Postpone family visits”, “Don’t go sightseeing around the country.” There is little ambiguity, flexibility or discretion here. Now compare that with the instructions of Denmark’s neighbour – Sweden. “Ahead of the breaks and Easter, it is important to consider whether planned travel in Sweden is necessary.”

Denmark till date has lost 106 per million, Sweden 570 per million. At least part of this enormous difference is the vague set of instructions that shifted the government’s responsibility to the individual.

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In the USA and UK, confused language has claimed a few thousand lives. USA has the dubious honour of leading in most measures. However, in Covid-19 deaths per million, as critical a measure as any, UK (686 deaths per million) outpaces USA (499). UK’s language in March and April in particular was full of modifiers, like “if possible”, “ideally” or “if necessary”. On 16 March, Boris Johnson advised British people against non-essential travel and suggested people should avoid pubs, clubs and theatres. He said people should work from home if possible. He urged 70+ citizens to consider the advice particularly important. Johnson is a master of the language, but his communication is foggier than the London morning sky. To be fair, UK improved in later months.  Today, Preston – a city in Lancashire – has started a campaign called “don’t kill your granny”. It is difficult for the young not to understand that message.

In the USA, for 10 days from 7 August, 250000 people have gathered for the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally. Nobody is wearing a mask. Spectators crowd the rally first, and the cafes and restaurants next. One lady who was interviewed said: ‘We are allowed to make our own choices. If we get it (virus), we chose to be here’.

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That indicates a failure to understand words. For me, democracy and liberty mean freedom of mind, freedom to fearlessly express that mind. Democracy means a rule of law, and strong institutions that protect your freedoms if you follow the law.

Democratic freedom doesn’t include freedom to endanger others. Governments in free democracies have a right, even an obligation, to impose rules, and governments always do. Traffic rules dictate which side of the road we can drive on. In the name of human liberty, one is not free to drive on either side. There is not much difference between wearing seat belts and wearing masks. Both are inconveniences, but if the government believes they enhance safety, they must make them mandatory unequivocally. And impose fines for breaking those regulations. Taxation is another area that is particularly unpleasant. But we accept our government imposing taxes, deducting them at source, requiring us to file returns by particular dates. We can face fines as well as a jail sentence for not following the rules.

What makes the pandemic emergency and the necessary health precautions any different than road safety or tax collection? It is understandable if governments are compelled to open businesses to minimize the economic damage. That doesn’t explain why beaches should be full of un-distanced people sun-tanning in thousands. That doesn’t explain 250,000 people attending a motorbike rally in a small town.

If the USA has done badly in this pandemic, one key reason is that nation’s failure to understand the true meaning of democracy and human liberty.

Ravi

Corona Daily 365: Coronaspeak: part II

The Oxford English Dictionary has now started monthly updates of coronaspeak, online of course.

Linguistically, words can be formed in several ways. Acronyms make a pronounceable word from the first letters, such as JOMO, which is ‘Joy Of Missing Out’. Somebody playing videogames the whole day can describe his state of happiness as JOMO. WFH or PPE are well-known abbreviations.

Two words can be combined to form a new one, like zoomdressing or coronababies. We will hear more about coronababies in 2021. A Coronawaltz is moving zigzag in public to avoid physical contact. Coronacuts are hairstyles during the pandemic. I don’t know why, but the Canadian term covember is the practice of not shaving for the duration of self-isolation. Covid antibuddies (not to be confused with antibodies) are friends or families who have gotten on the nerves of one another.

Blursday indicates our weakening sense of time. I am restricting myself to the English language. German, notorious for compounding words, has corona words like offnungsdiskussionsorgien (orgies of discussion) that describes the endless policy debates over reopening.

New expressions can replace the known ones. Shake-hand was replaced by an Elbow bump. Quarantine and chill is a substitute for the slang Netflix and chill (a codeword for sexual activity).

Portmanteau words like Brexit or Brunch is the most delightful play practiced by those inventing new words. Coronasplaining is done by armchair virologists.

Covidiot, probably the most popular term, refers to someone ignoring public health advice. Covidiots may not wear masks, think handwashing a waste of time, arrange parties at home, suntan on crowded beaches. Flu bros, a subset of this group, downplays the seriousness by calling it flu. Smizing, smiling with your eyes because your mouth is covered by a mask, has not succeeded.

Other creative ways create new meanings for known words. In Ireland, self-isolation for the over 70s is called cocooning. In neighbouring England, shielding is the term used for those vulnerable with health conditions.

Tony Thorne, a linguist with King’s college, London has collected more than 1000 words for the pandemic lexicon. (That may be his JOMO). He has appealed to the public to send him what they coin.

Your corona word will not be judged by its beauty or wit. Its success is determined by how widely it is used. Oxford English Dictionary will include a new word based on the frequency of its use in print, visual and social media. There are a couple of coronavirus corpuses, Oxford has its own. Google trends show you what people are searching for. The corpus shows what people are actually saying in online newspapers and magazines. One coronavirus corpus currently has 508 million words, and grows by 3-4 million words every day. Not all words are corona neologisms, but many are related to the pandemic. For example, between January and March, words like Wuhan, toilet paper, hoard were used very frequently. In OED, “outbreak” and “novel” were the top words in the first quarter of this year. PPE, reopen and defund were the top words in April, May and June respectively. Even the Oxford dictionary is greatly influenced by the American media whose influence in a pandemic is more overwhelming than usual.

(Continued tomorrow).

Ravi 

Corona Daily 366: Coronaspeak: part I

In April, in the middle of a strict lockdown, my 16 year old announced she was going to have an eep-over.

‘What are you talking about, we are in a lockdown.’ I said as a concerned father of a teenager. ‘No question of your spending the night with your friends.’

‘Not sleepover, dad, eep-over. We are going to watch movies together, chat and eat, all in our respective homes. (Apparently Netflix now offers this option).

*****

The other day, at my local park, a friend asked me a fairly routine question: how are you?

‘I am negative, thank you.’ I smiled.

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The coronavirus pandemic is affecting language in several ways. New words are created, and old ones are acquiring new meanings. We effortlessly use words we had never used before 2020. Did you ever say ‘herd immunity’ before? Or comorbidities? Or express regret that the curve was not flattening?

We are social animals, but now socially distanced. That may not stop us from going into quarantine or self-isolation. We are living in uncertain times, as well as unprecedented times. That’s the new normal, if you like. Contact tracing is actually a profession. Hospital staff has become frontline workers. Even those without any medical education are using terms like PPE, R-0, ventilation, intubation, antigen and pathogen. Americans shelter in place, because the rest of the world stays at home. When criticizing China, people talk about zoonotic diseases, a word even spell-check doesn’t know.

Those who WFH have new routine lines: ‘you’re on mute’, ‘I’m just going to dial back’, ‘I’m having issues with my wifi’. Many have developed zoom fatigue.

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Coronaverse is the world that we now live in, and quarantimes the period. Some people recommend B.C. to be deciphered as ‘Before Corona’ - the hugging, kissing, drinking, pubbing, travelling era. Time is now split as pre-rona and post-rona. Post-rona is that glorious dream, in the undetermined future, where our life goes back to the old normal. The virus has been personified by some as Miss Rona to make it a playful character.

Coronapocalypse is the endgame of the pessimists, who suffer from very high viral anxiety. Infodemic is made of dodgy news, doomscrollers are the consumers. Covid-19 has another meaning. It is the 19 extra pounds you have gained during lockdown.

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Zumping is ending a relationship in a Zoom call. This is far more convenient than dumping face-to-face. If the emotions of the Zumped person become intolerable, one can simply switch off.

‘Elephant in the Zoom’ is a nice British expression. It is the person in the Zoom meeting everyone tries to avoid.

Time difference or lock down fatigue may make some participants Zoombies.

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Australians are the masters of diminutives. They have invented pando (pandemic), iso (isolation) and sanny (hand sanitiser). Sanny sounds fresh and clean. Iso gives other words like isobar, which is a fridge well stocked with booze to get you through the pandemic. Isodesk is that workplace where you wear a nice shirt and tie in the upper half, pyjama and slippers in the bottom half. The dress code is called basement casual or zoomdressing.

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A book can be written on the way coronavirus is bringing new words and expressions in our languages. I will, however, restrict myself to a couple of articles to offer a flavor and also give important links if you wish to contribute to coronaspeak.  More tomorrow.

Ravi  

Corona Daily 367: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act is a fantastically generous act passed by the USA on 29 March. It is designed to provide relief to individuals and businesses economically affected by the pandemic. PPP (Paycheck protection program) is one key measure that has set aside $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses so they can retain their employees and keep the business running. In April, another $300 billion was added to PPP. Though the loan is given at 1% per annum, both the loan and the interest will be waived if the small business spends the money within the agreed time, mainly towards payroll expenses.

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In April, David Hines, 29, had minus $30,000 in his account thanks to an overdraft facility. The energetic young man submitted applications for seven businesses, requesting PPP loans worth $14 million. The money would be spent on 70 employees, with a monthly payroll of $4 million. The bank approved three applications with incredible speed sanctioning $3.99 million, and began sending the money on 11 May.

As efficient as the bank, a week later David Hines was seen driving around Miami Beach in a new blue Lamborghini Huracan Evo. For the lovely car registered in his own name, he had paid $318,497. This was merely the beginning. As the investigator’s affidavit later revealed, he spent $8530 on Graff diamonds, $4700 on Saks Fifth avenue, $7300 at a luxury Miami Beach hotel, $30,000 to Mom, and $40,000 to three people whose names are not disclosed. Thousands were spent on dating websites, delivery services, and other luxury places. In an understatement, the investigator adds “there does not appear to be any business purpose for these expenses”.

*****

In reality, Hines’s Miami companies had an average monthly expense of $200,000. Most of the 70 employees didn’t exist, and those who did had salaries a fraction of what was written in the application.

It would have taken less than two minutes to check the monthly payroll tax Hines’ companies paid. That would have disqualified his application immediately. But the federal agency didn’t bother to check any claims in the applications.

Hines was charged last week, his Lamborghini confiscated. Until the court hearing in October, he is allowed to live with his mother (to whom he presumably paid $30,000) with a GPS monitor. It is possible he misunderstood the term ‘forgivable’ loan. If the charges are proven, he faces up to 70 years in jail.

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At least 30 such cases have come to light. A Detroit resident received $600,000 for a defunct business. Reality TV star Maurice Fayne (Mo) spent $1.5 million in a buying spree comprising of Rolex watches, a diamond bracelet, a 5.73 carat diamond ring for himself, and $40,000 for child support. Among other things, agents seized $80,000 in cash, including $9,400 from his pockets.

Lee Price III, was arrested this week. His PPP funds were spent at liquor stores, a strip club, two Houston nightclubs, and the leasing of a luxury apartment in midtown Houston. More importantly, he had bought a $14,000 Rolex watch and a $240,000 Lamborghini Urus.

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Whether the Paycheck Protection Program succeeded in helping small businesses will be known in the future. It has certainly helped the business of Lamborghini.

Ravi

Corona Daily 368: The Case of the Anthropology Professor

In the twitter world, she was known as @Sciencing_Bi. Using a simple name ‘Alepo’, and a flower as her avatar image, she had some 6000 followers. @Sciencing_Bi was a geologist/paleontologist, a professor at the Arizona State University, bisexual, from a Hopi Native American background. An outspoken activist, her tweets about racism, sexism, and other discrimination in academia attracted followers. On twitter, one professor described her as a prominent Native American anthropologist. Her activism became strident when she became sick with Covid-19, and began tweeting about her battle with the disease.

Blaming Arizona State University for her condition, she said the university forced her to give lectures to 200 students instead of closing the school in April. As if this was not enough, the university had cut 15% of her salary when she was in hospital. In late June, @Sciencing_Bi asked her supporters to donate to her through Professor McLaughlin’s Venmo account. She said the dean had asked her to take a DNA ancestry test to prove her status as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color).

In early June, @Sciencing_Bi also claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Theodor Bestor, a Harvard professor. Her tweet mentioned this event took place during a scientific meeting.

On 31 July, her friend Dr BethAnn McLaughlin, a neuroscientist, announced that @Sciencing_Bi had died from complications of the virus. In a long twitter thread, she paid testament to her humanity and strength. Gary Wright II, an LGBQT Alabama activist said the news was painful. She meant so much to diverse communities. Professors and scientists tweeted messages of sympathy, grief and general Covid-19 awareness. A Zoom memorial service was arranged by Dr McLaughlin.

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Melissa Bates, a professor at the University of Iowa attended the Zoom memorial meeting. Ms Bates tweeted that it was attended only by four people- herself, Dr McLaughlin, Mr Eisen and one more man. Though they spoke warmly of the departed soul, Dr McLaughlin was the only one who had ever met @Sciencing_Bi. It was understood that in life, @Sciencing_Bi was reluctant to reveal her true name. But even after death, nobody had learnt of her identity.

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A spokesman from the Arizona State University clarified they were not aware of any such person ever working for them. The university had closed classes in March; there was no question of a lecturer contracting the virus in April. No salary was cut, nor was anybody asked to prove any Native American Status.

Twitter followers and mourners began raising their suspicions. Except Dr BethAnn McLaughlin, nobody had ever met @Sciencing_Bi.

*****

Dr BethAnn McLaughlin campaigned against sexual assault and harassment of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Assistant professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University, she launched the #MeTooSTEM website in 2018 for women to tell their stories. She turned out to be a racist, bully and harasser herself, to an extent where everyone left her organization. She was removed from the university.

In 2016, she created the identity of @Sciencing_Bi presumably to refute she was racist or homophobic. With people getting suspicious, she decided to kill her. On Monday, twitter removed both accounts. Yesterday, through her lawyer, she gave a statement to NYT acknowledging her cat-fishing act. As much as is known, there is no punishment for such a hoax.

Social media identity frauds are now easier. In Covid times, a person can easily say he/she can’t meet. The lesson is to make sure you know the person exists before getting involved, or posting a mourning message.

Ravi

Corona Daily 369: Thank You Covid-19

Bev Boro, 53, was always curious about her disjointed, broken, and dispersed family. While her father was alive, she had managed to extract as much information from him as possible. He had married thrice and fathered ten children. In 1967, his irresponsible behavior had led to the breakup of the family. Her father and mother had left six children without any care for a week. Neighbours had complained to the police. The Social Service had taken all the children away.

The eldest child, Dorris, was 20 years old. According to the father, she was greatly fond of Bev, and had taken care of her in her first year more than her mother. Dorris was sent to live with her biological mother. Bev was put up for adoption. The father had said Bev had to be pulled back, Dorris was not willing to let her go. The men from the agency had forcibly separated them.

Over the next fifty three years, Bev had tried to find her eldest sister. She knew her name: Dorris Crippen. But she did not show up in Facebook, Google, Instagram or any other virtual location. Which was not particularly surprising, since Dorris would be 73 now.

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Dorris Crippen, a widow, lived on her own in an Omaha apartment. In May, she felt feverish and weak. An attempt to pick up a water bottle resulted in a fall. She was taken to the hospital with a broken arm, and diagnosed with Covid-19. She was in that hospital for more than a month.

The doctors sent her to Dunklau Gardens, a rehab center and nursing home. Covid-19 had weakened her. Moreover, Dorris was hard of hearing. It would do her well to spend some time at a rehab center.

*****

Dorris Crippen. Bev Boro, the medication aide at Dunklau Gardens saw the name in the patient list and couldn’t believe it. Could this be a coincidence? But the age mentioned was right.

Bev Boro had been working at Dunklau Gardens for the past 22 years. She read the patient card. It mentioned Dorris Crippen was deaf. Bev took a small whiteboard with her and stood in front of the white-haired lady. She wrote two words in big bold letters on the slate.

“Wendall Hoffman.”

“That’s my daddy”, the old lady said.

“That’s my dad, too”, said Bev. She mimicked rocking a baby to make Doris understand. Bev Boro, she showed her name on the badge. Dorris, despite her weakness, jumped from her chair and burst into tears. She had last held her little sister 53 years ago.

“You have got our daddy’s eyes”, she told Bev.

They both could not sleep that night.

*****

Since their meeting on 27 June, Bev has told Dorris about four more siblings she had found through Facebook. Bev already has three children and five grandchildren. Dorris has three children and 16 grandchildren. The sisters are planning a grand family reunion, once it is safe to do so.

“I have to thank Covid-19”, said Dorris repeatedly. “It sounds crazy, but without Covid-19, we would have never met.”

Ravi

Corona Daily 370: Segovia Brothers Circus, Part Final

The chance spectators on the streets sometimes donated rice, beans, flour, oil and soap. A local church gave them masks and sanitisers. The people of Honduras didn’t let them starve to death. Every day, the street performances added $50 to $75 to the escape fund, not enough to go back to Guatemala.

Now Alejandro had to make the choice of saving the physical circus or the people working for it. He began selling the circus assets for survival. After selling a truck, he sold the generator his father had bought.

In one of the letters Alejandro said, “If the virus kills the circus, humanity would lose one of the oldest spectacles in our history. Circus is storytelling.”

If and when they raised enough money, they wanted to go back. But they didn’t know how the situation was at the border. Rumours talked about fines, bribes, mandatory health checks, and queues waiting for days.

*****

Meanwhile, in June, the president of his home country, Guatemala, was driving near a boulevard in Guatemala City. The president, Alejandro Giammattei, saw clowns in costumes and circus acrobats begging for money. It was a strange sight. Giammattei invited a group of circus owners to find out the impact of the lockdown on their industry. Among the invitees was Alejandro Segovia’s father-in-law, Francisco Lopez, known as clown Cepillin, head of another circus family. Lopez delivered to the president a letter from his son-in-law trapped with his troupe in Honduras.

*****

In the middle of July, Alejandro’s phone rang. On a Facetime video call, he was stunned to see President Giammattei’s face on his phone. The president offered the troupe fuel vouchers for their trip from Tegucigalpa to the Guatemala border. He confirmed each troupe member will receive a monthly stipend of $130 until the circus starts functioning again, whenever that is. A low-interest loan would be provided to help Alejandro rebuild the circus. 

Alejandro crossed the border with his family first. They couldn’t believe they were back in Guatemala finally. He had a meeting with the minister of sports and culture who would facilitate the return of his troupe back home. The minister also gave him the funding promised by the president.

On 23 July, Alejandro dropped his wife to the maternity hospital in Guatemala City. He then drove to the border to welcome his circus. The bright red Segovia trucks drove through the border gates. Alejandro made it just a week before his license to bring them in was due to expire.

***** 

The circus has now based camp in containers in a field in Guatemala City where the performers are allowed to live. Until the pandemic is over, they have decided to showcase their talent on the streets. Alejandro will juggle; clown and his colleagues will ride the globe of death at breakneck speed.

Vany, Alejandro’s wife, gave birth to a daughter at the end of July. They named her Aleangela. “She will be” Alejandro announced, “the newest star of the Segovia Brothers Circus.”

*****

(P.S. NatGeo deserves thanks for bringing to light this heartwarming story. In a world where it is becoming increasingly difficult to find stories with a happy ending.)

Ravi