Romance During Lockdown #A-ZChallenge2020

After fourteen years of marriage, mushy romance got restricted to the honeymoon photos. These days we have replaced ‘I love you’ with ‘I told you’. For example, just a few days before the lockdown started the man had wanted to buy 20 kilos of rice which I summarily rejected. Now, when all grocery shops are shut in the neighborhood and the stock of rice is depleting in my pantry, he is repeating ‘I told you that we should buy more rice’ at the slightest opportunity. Most of our conversations are either beginning or ending with this line. I think I heard him blabbering this even in his sleep.

Well, hum bhi kisise kam nahi. I had asked him to take son to the barber the week before shutdown and he conveniently ignored. Now when my son (and son’s father) is almost turning into Rapunzel, I also have reason enough to repeat the ‘I told you’.

This lockdown is becoming the ‘agnipariksha’ for most marriages. The marriages that survive this lockdown should get some badge of honor from the government. Rest of the marriages will surely make the divorce lawyers sprint to their banks. In China and the USA the demand for divorce lawyers has actually increased. The newly married ones would be worst affected. We came to know the vices of our partners gradually over the years. So we digested the hard pill slowly but for the newly married ones they are getting to see the vices of a lifetime in 21 days. I doubt how many would actually be able to survive the shock.

However, I feel sorry for the young lovers. Most of them are not being able to meet each other. So they are using video calling to keep in touch. Those who were already in a long-distance romance are nonchalant as this lockdown has little or no impact on their relationship. Video calling unka roz ka haal hai.

Reports claim that dating apps are booming and many are finding solace in online dating. Dating apps like Hinge, Bumble and Tinder are seeing an increase in new users across the board, as more and more people hop aboard to escape the confines of their homes. Existing users, too, seem to be spending more time and effort in looking for a connection. Many users have also come up with lockdown specific pick-up lines like ‘Hey there, are you the vaccine? Because the whole world is chasing you.’ Funnily enough, Tinder’s top bios have also changed from the usual “wanderlust”- and “sapiosexual”-studded statements, to phrases like “stay home”, “be safe”, “social distancing”, “how are you”, and “wash your hands”.

In sharp contrast are the few users who don’t see the point of going online while isolating, no matter what part of the world they are in, since there aren’t high chances of it leading to a real date. And then there are apps like Quarantine Chat, which are enabling strangers all over the world to chat.

Online extramarital affairs are also on the rise. Many people are seeking online affairs to break the monotony of being in close proximity with the spouse all the time. But I wonder what about the ones who are involved in real-life adultery. How they are surviving without meeting the paramour.  Imagine their pathos, they are away from their paramours and stuck with the spouses from whom they wanted to break free. Nothing can be worse than this.

Do you have any quarantine romantic story? For me the only romantic thing is that the other day the man did jhaadu pocha. When I saw him bending over the floor and mopping, my heart swelled with love and started singing “tujhe dekha to Jana sanam..pyaar hota hai BJP (bartan-jhaaru-pocha) sanam, ab yahan see kahan jaye hum? iss lockdown mein phas gaye hai hummmmm..”

Psst: I just hope my mother-in-law doesn’t read this post or else she will get a heart attack knowing how her ladla son is doing household chores.

facemask couple

 

 

34 thoughts on “Romance During Lockdown #A-ZChallenge2020”

  1. the bespectacled mother says:
    Reply

    “Arre kalmuhi, mere nanhe se (bade) bachhe se pocha lagwa rahi hai,” Shashikala ne kaha hota 😂
    Imagine BJP ke handle ko tag kar ke BJP ka naya full form tweet kar dein to – Bartan Jhaadu Pocha 😂 Bhakt bloggers to pakka has nahin payenge.
    You have explored the relationships pretty aptly. I am amused.

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Dashy says:
    Reply

    You have touched all types of romantic relationships here :p . My dad too is doing more chores at home than he ever did now. I’m sure most households have witnessed changes during this period. Loved reading this. 😀

    Liked by 2 people

  4. Keerthi Vydyula says:
    Reply

    This is exactly what my friend and I were talking about the other day! It was a on a funnier note but still doesn’t hide the fact that people are indeed being affected by it. Even the domestic violence rates increased in our country and others alike.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Anagha Yatin says:
    Reply

    Balaka, the Corona seems to be adding flavours to our long-distance romance these days. With better half in Lyon and I along with my children at Mumbai, pyaar-vyaar-luv-shuv is on the rise ever since. It’s not only true for me but for the children for their father as well! The distance is drawing us close., Its been more than 6 months that he is alone there and our plan to join him in the month of May is postponed till God-knows-which date. Its the video call that is keeping us connected and afloat.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Shweta Suresh says:
    Reply

    I’ve fallen in love all over again… with blogging. 😛 I really enjoyed this post. The heights of people’s creativity indeed to come up Corona-themed pick-up lines!!! Video calls are a boon to mankind – whether be it for romancing or calling your entire gang of friends and family in group calls!!! I saw memes in one of my office groups that for married couples, this will be like trailer of their post-retirement life! I loved reading this one, dear.

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Corinne Rodrigues says:
    Reply

    Thoroughly enjoyed this one, Balaka. The other day I day I read of a young boy who attempted to smuggle his ‘friend’ into the apartment complex in a suitcase! I’m wondering if any young lovers have had such ideas too! 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Shilpa Garg says:
    Reply

    Hahaha! This made for such a fun read!
    The other day someone posted that posts about ‘The love of my life’, ‘Blessed to be with my honey’, ‘Forever love’… have vanished from Facebook!
    Earlier they were talking about covidbabies but now news is all about covidivorces! 😛

    Liked by 2 people

    • Balaka says:
      Reply

      After staying locked down, it is hard to see any honey in them,,the only thing anyone would see is karela..but the sad fact is domestic violence has increased a lot.

      Like

  13. Ranjini says:
    Reply

    Haha this was a good one. The domestic violence is increasing during lockdown as well. Isn’t that another aspect of marriage for many? You said it right. The only ones for whom nothing has changed are the couples in long distance relationship. For once, they have a bright side. They don’t suffer like the rest.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. writershilpa says:
    Reply

    Hmmmmm…I hear you…every word!
    I can only imagine how couples of every kind must be dealing with the situation. Thankfully we know our spouses having lived with them for so many years. Personally, I feel good that hubby is at home; earlier he hardly would be and we would meet at the end of the day, talk a couple of sentences and then call it a day. Now, we may not talk a lot, but it feels nice to have him around. We give each other company all day as well as space when we feel we have had a bit too much of each other’s company 😛

    Liked by 2 people

  19. Vinitha says:
    Reply

    So many dating apps! I’ve heard of only Tinder from these. And online extramarital affairs? What’s the fun in that? Well!
    Looks like you have researched quite a bit about romance during the pandemic. In our house, we have to do away with the romance as our little bundle of joys is playing the roles of little pesters. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  20. Pingback: 5 Things to be Grateful for during Lockdown #GartitudeCircle – Trina Looks Back

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