It definitely was cause and effect. The roads had barricades manned by baton-wielding policemen. Where so many police turned up from for a small town like Vellore is a mystery. I seldom see them otherwise even when you need them.
The traffic accidents were less. mainly because there has to be traffic for accidents. Chain snatching (very common) was unheard of. Women wearing chains have to be on the road and not in their houses to be attacked. Technically though, describing an assailant would be difficult because of the universal use of face masks. They are no longer the purview of highwaymen and bank robbers.
I stand on my terrace every morning and look at the empty road below, bereft of walkers and bikes. For the last four days, I have been regularly seeing a white Vespa. It stops at a demarcated "plot for sale" down the road, and the man removes a single 3 foot granite boundary marker. He then balances it on the bike and goes off.
Today was Sunday and the fourth day. He turned up at 6:30 am on schedule. After he left, I was drinking coffee when I heard a man banging on the gate. A white car was parked outside. I shouted from a safe 10-foot distance (my mask was upstairs),"What is it?"
"Did you see anyone?"
"Not really," I said, "this is a deserted mud dead-end road."
"Someone has stolen four of my granite poles," said the man irately.
"Oh yes," I said " a man has been taking them one at a time every day. I thought they were his. I thought he was the owner. "
" I am the owner!! Why didn't you stop him?"
I looked at him.
"With that mask, you and he look the same. Except", I said helpfully, " he also has a crash helmet."
"What do you think he was doing?" asked the man.
"Perhaps constructing a gate to his house---- Why don't you go to the police?"
At the barricade, the irate policeman screamed at him, " I am standing here for 12 hours trying to prevent people from spreading the Coronavirus and dying. And you want me to chase down granite poles?"
http://velloretimes.blogspot.in/
The traffic accidents were less. mainly because there has to be traffic for accidents. Chain snatching (very common) was unheard of. Women wearing chains have to be on the road and not in their houses to be attacked. Technically though, describing an assailant would be difficult because of the universal use of face masks. They are no longer the purview of highwaymen and bank robbers.
I stand on my terrace every morning and look at the empty road below, bereft of walkers and bikes. For the last four days, I have been regularly seeing a white Vespa. It stops at a demarcated "plot for sale" down the road, and the man removes a single 3 foot granite boundary marker. He then balances it on the bike and goes off.
Today was Sunday and the fourth day. He turned up at 6:30 am on schedule. After he left, I was drinking coffee when I heard a man banging on the gate. A white car was parked outside. I shouted from a safe 10-foot distance (my mask was upstairs),"What is it?"
"Did you see anyone?"
"Not really," I said, "this is a deserted mud dead-end road."
"Someone has stolen four of my granite poles," said the man irately.
"Oh yes," I said " a man has been taking them one at a time every day. I thought they were his. I thought he was the owner. "
" I am the owner!! Why didn't you stop him?"
I looked at him.
"With that mask, you and he look the same. Except", I said helpfully, " he also has a crash helmet."
"What do you think he was doing?" asked the man.
"Perhaps constructing a gate to his house---- Why don't you go to the police?"
At the barricade, the irate policeman screamed at him, " I am standing here for 12 hours trying to prevent people from spreading the Coronavirus and dying. And you want me to chase down granite poles?"
http://velloretimes.blogspot.in/
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