The word “Corona”  leads different dull memories to different individuals, if we visualize according to the nations president it would be lockdown with no country improvement ,for business men it was a financially total loss but for hospitals and pharmacy centers came out to be good yield for making  money making, likewise for the employees were stuck with half paid salary or no salary, for foreigners working abroad it was like a never seen return to their families or home land, for Doctors and nurses it was dead bodies and panic with more hours of duty time, who predicted that sanitizer, gloves and masks will have more demand.

It all begins as I arrived to the Kingdom of Bahrain for work on 25 -Dec- 2020, as it was the main Covid core times. Instead of Salam greetings, people used to welcome with fun “GO CORNO GO “ and in spite of normal handshakes and hugs instantly people used to wave with a 2 meter of gap assuring they are keeping social distance for everyone’s safety.

Who wondered that when the virus was first spotted in China on 2019 and  will spread like dust to the whole world ? I remember reading the news and being selfish that it was only in China and other countries epically my home town are safe from the deadly virus.

Likewise, all the youngsters when they step foot in a new country, there will be a thrill to explore and see the beautiful areas. And I Started exploring the Capital City of Manama, where the beauty of the city was at its peak level with tall buildings and the market appealing was delightful, as I was passing the Souq pathway, suddenly I found a small and old shop with a skinny tinny old man greeting me to visit his shop, which I felt lame at the beginning and immediately felt to plunge into his shop ,as I entered the shop it was full of ecstasy smell of perfumes, with different size ranges of perfume bottle shining at me.

As I was glaring at all his perfume collection, I found a resembled name on a perfume bottle which was gold reddish color labeled as SAFWAN (Arabic Word  meaning- Bright) which was my name too.

I was electrified and proud to know that my name has been used in the perfume bottle, at that moment a weaken sound of the old man approached smiling and saying ” these all perfume are old models and not branded ,well its possible to offer discount ,if you buy more quantity son”.

With anticipation I exchanged the information rasping the SAFWAN labeled perfume on top of my head level with excitement and informed the old man with broken english that my name and the perfume bottle you are selling as the same name and suddenly from my pocket, I took my passport to confirm the name matching with immense happiness.

"2pcs SAFWAN perfume I will buy" with joy I told loudly and when I reach out to my pock and opened my wallet with great blow and shock, I found out my wallet is empty, where my mind was rushing with blank spot realizing its only one week since I have joined for work and my salary will be given by  end of this month and I am now with zero money which I forgot after the excitement from seeing the perfume with my name on it.

With shame and sadness leaping and humiliation ,I upfront my wallet showing to the old man with sadness and said I am new here, recently joined for a work so I have no money now.

The old man laughed and took a shopping bag besides started packing the perfume and brazed to my hands along with a smile told ” this perfume has your name so why not for free “ he then assured everything is fine and escorted me from his shop in a friendly manner.

The next day I took cash loan from my boss and raced to the market to pay back the money to the old man for the perfume and when I reached his shop spot it was closed and besides came a shop keeper with pain told me, that yesterday the old man shut down his shop and left somewhere without informing others due to no sales and no money.

With empathy I understood what covid times teached me “whether how broken you are, don’t stop your goodness in you, because we all are having a healthy life to do something for others “ that’s the purpose of my life and when I turned back and walked thinking when will I meet this old man, the wind blew roughly spreading the smell of SAFWAN perfume scent everywhere from my shirt.