In the era of the buzzing viruses, human encounters are difficult to recognize. We can no longer read the other person’s face, it is forced to hide behind a mask. Interesting, not so long ago, face covering was forbidden in Austria…
The way of the humans has a long history. We feel our way forward, disoriented, trusting only through our eyes and ears. Fortunately, there are points of orientation as well, e.g. the Corona-traffic light. The traffic light is red, we have to stop. There is a traffic jam, as long as the world snake. Traffic jams everywhere, on the paths, on the streets, queues on the sidewalks everywhere. We wait patiently, we wait.
We are waiting for further guidance.
Fortunately, there is a shortcut to avoid the traffic jam, the test road! You can even get rid of the mask for a moment because the nose and mouth should be free for the little baby snakes. If the baby snake lights up green, you can go on, you are free! You have tested yourself free!
It is astonishing how fast the world is presenting us with the new reality every day. So fast that we (have to) take it for granted. Suddenly, in exact order, everything is there: 1 meter distance, 2 meters distance, blue masks, creative masks, self-made fabric masks, FFP2 – masks, disinfectants, disinfectant containers, partitions made of Plexiglas, arrows and stopping points on the floor, test material, vaccine …
The vaccination stations can be reached via the test roads. But we are free, we can now test ourselves in the living room, comfortably with a cup of coffee.
Self-vaccination will probably be a truth in the not so distant future. Then, we no longer have to wait for the solution! The solution lies in the vaccine solution! Fortunately, the crisis team has turned us into free people! Self-secure, self-confident and self-determined we vaccinate ourselves free! Virus free, disease free, death free …
Despite the loss of face, I have had nice encounters during this period too …
When I – once brave – went shopping without a mask and the saleswoman behind the counter, behind the mask, told me softly how happy she was to finally see a face again.
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Saralies ten Hooven was born in 1976 in Leiden, Netherlands. She writes short stories and poems in the ‘Global- Player’ and ‘Montauk’. She started studying singing in the Netherlands. She took singing lessons with G. Lichtenberg in Graz. She gives small concerts now and then.
Translated from German by Ruud van Weerdenburg. He was born 1956 in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Already in early age saved and fascinated by literature. His travel stories were published in Assam Tribune and Hindustan Times. He is working for Radio and Magazines in Vienna. Wrote Libretto for a time-opera “Remember-Rembrandt”. He plays the flute and lives from poetry. He is the editor of “Global-Player” and “Montauk”. “Himmelsglobus”(Löcker Verlag, Wien) is his recently published book of poetry.
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