For some time the world has been going through a scenario that seems those of science fiction. Just as the images of the twin towers falling seemed like scenes from Hollywood films, watching, not only on television, but on a daily basis, deserted cities all over the world is something very strange.
The day before yesterday I ventured to the bank branch, as I needed to go to the ATM. Seeing one of the city's main avenues completely empty, without a single soul, reminded me of that Brasilia from 30 years ago when everyone left the city as soon as the school holidays started and, consequently, the city looked like a ghost town.
Visits to the pharmacy and supermarket also seem surreal. At the same time that everyone is in solidarity with each other because of the situation in which we find ourselves, these same sympathetic looks have fear behind them. People greet each other on the streets, remain polite to each other, but their eyes seem to see each other as a potential host for this invisible enemy.
This same bleak scenario creates tragicomic situations. The other day, at the bakery, everyone respected the distance of 2 meters between each customer until an old gentleman came in and coughed once, only once. Immediately everyone, absolutely everyone, jumped back at the same time. If a choreographer had tried to achieve such synchronicity in a rehersal, they would not have succeeded.
It is strange to see the military in special yellow clothes like those in the 1995 film Outbreak disinfecting Brasília's bus station. It is weird to look out the window and see the block completely empty.
Here at home the human population comes down to my mother, me, my little ones, and Maria, our beloved helper. We are lucky to have company. I think of those who are alone at home. I think about what it would be like if I were in Montreal alone with my babies. I would have to go to the supermarket and pharmacy with them and thus expose them even more. At that moment, I think it was good to decide to spend some time of my maternity leave in Brasília with my parents. On the other hand, now that I am close to my friends, it is only possible to meet them virtually as if I were still in Canada. Yes, it is great to have the technology we have to communicate with everyone we love and who are far from us, but virtual contact is not and will never be the same as personal contact. In fact, that's the worst part of it all: not being able to meet, hug and laugh with friends.
When all of this is over, I just hope that we all realize how much time we spend looking at mobile screens and not at a friend's face. How much time we spend looking at social networks on devices that take our whole attention even when we are in the presence of others. I sincerely hope that we will relearn to value personal contact, leave the screens aside and enjoy each other's physical presence.
