My favourite web series

It almost feels like writing an essay for a class 4^th assignment. But interestingly that is the feeling that drives me to write it- innocent and uncomplicated. The only irony is that when I was in class 4^th there weren’t any web-series and back then I felt writing on such topics was lame (also think- an essay on Cow)

But with 34 years of life getting on me with its tagalongs of bitterness, cut throat competitions, judgements and my struggles to overcome these and many more, I look for respite in simple things. Those things which I might have found lame during adolescence.

One of such things that I came across recently is a web-series by the name ‘Doc Martin’. It was sheer chance that I decided to begin with this series as I was fishing on Netflix disappointed to see that there was barely anything left for watching. Well, what attracted me the most was the name of the series starting with ‘Doc’. By virtue of working with so many doctors in my organization, I always have an interest in validating if all of them are the same? And this series intrigued me further to validate if even the on-screen ones are represented in the same way as I know them for real. Not to discount that ‘Health’ takes priority as you grow old and 34 counts well for that.

There was enough interest already given how much I related to the name, with fingers crossed that I don’t get compelled to switch off the Tv after few minutes of boredom, I started watching ‘Doc Martin’

The episode opens with a scene where there is this professional gentleman both in appearance and conduct called Doctor Martin totally fitting into my image of my last supervisor who always used to wear a suit no matter what season. Doctor Martin preferred to be called Doctor Ellingham (his last name) He is a no-nonsense medical professional and cant get over the anatomy and biology in a person even during utmost critical social situations. While he had been a top-class surgeon in London this story begins with his placement as a ‘General Practitioner’ for the village of Portwenn. His limited social skills are a matter of discussion in the selection committee as well but he is unanimously approved given that in terms of his expertise there is barely any match.

 Portwenn like any small place is beautiful both visually and in terms of the people who live there. The simplicity is striking: a typical village where everyone knows everyone: everyone likes to keep a record of what’s going on in other’s lives, there is a dedicated group of gossip girls whose meeting point is the road outside Doc Martin’s clinic, most of the service providers such as plumbers, electricians, restaurant owners are mediocre but still loved and treated as the best. When the clinic is under renovation before Doc Martin official started practice, the plumber turns the whole clinic into a flood zone and in response to the annoyed look of the doctor he responds ‘what the matter that you look disgusted.. all is well and under control’

The sense of solidarity in the village  is such that the clinic receptionist literally bullies Doc Martin by never reaching clinic on time & always taking on phone with her boyfriend but on being fired has the whole village on her side to create pressure on the doctor leaving him no choice but to get her back on the job. And why not, the wating area in the clinic is more of a hang out place with tea and biscuits for all courtesy Elaine (the receptionist). Infact, who goes to the clinic to see the doctor, the idea is to have a cup of tea and snacks and some chit-chat with people and after some socialization has happened, see the doctor. Going to the doctor and expecting a cup of tea is inherently normal  for the people of Portwenn but hell breaks when Doctor Martin refuses to engage in socialization and sticks to professionalism. He is lovingly and popularly labelled as ‘Tosser’ by one and all.

What I loved the most about the initial seasons is that the doctor is shown committing relatable assessment errors where how a wife’s excessive use of estrogen turns out to be the cause of the husband’s man breasts while he had assessed it otherwise. It also opens an awkward can of worms for the couple in the process and the couple indirectly blame the doctor for their relationship fiasco.

Well, there is a lot to say about Doc Martin but I want you to find out yourself. So, don’t delay & go watch – Doc Martin. It wont give you the thrills and the chills of GOT or Money Heist but what about some rustic, slow living experience for the mind that is always on the run.

On Way Back Home…

On 14 April 20 evening, the reluctant car owner of my house agreed to let me drive in the evening. I don’t undermine his concerns which were valid- 1) it wasn’t essential, so why to go out amidst lockdown and 2) I still don’t have a driver’s license – put together, it was enough to irk a disciplined Army man. But I pestered, who won’t need a change after day long of twiddling thumbs while looking at names against black background on screen also hearing unidentifiable voices during back- to -back online meetings on zoom and ECHO.

Eventually, I got the car keys, pressed an icon and the unlock sound squawked suddenly, shattering the lockdown silence in my society premises.

Left foot on the clutch and right trying to handle the break and accelerator, reverse gear, they say is the most difficult one for a beginner. Few meters back and then rolling the steering right in first gear, I paved my way through the most challenging window towards hitting the road, the boom-barrier, just before the main-gate. Its angle really confuses me and I thank God each time I successfully pass through it. Even though mundane, for me it was important to describe the process of hitting the road for two reasons- I wanted to show off my knowledge of driving (comes naturally to all beginners) and second- doing something that we are forbidden to do has its own charm. Moreover, when so many people are still being asked to go to offices while facing the same risk as anybody going out, then lets assume that I was also driving back from office.

I had driven hardly for few minutes and on a sliding road, we heard someone screaming from behind. They were two men holding an airbag with each of their hands on both sides and walking slowly against the weight of the bag. My husband asked me to stop once he heard the voice. Since the car was on a slope and in order to slow down, I switched on first gear, it stopped. I tried balancing the accelerator, clutch and gear but as soon as the right foot was lifted from the break to touch the accelerator, the car was sliding backwards. In the meanwhile, the two walking men had reached us.  Sense of Moral Policing awakened and for once I thought of lecturing them on how irresponsible they were that they were not staying at home to support the lockdown. However, before I could start, one of them said ‘sir, please Punjab jane ke rasta bataiye. Jo rasta mujhe pata hai wahan se Police nahi jane de rahi’ (sir, could you please help me with the direction from here to go to Punjab, the route that I know has been barred by Police’. And then he informed us that he is a cook in a restaurant in Gurgaon. During the lockdown like all others, the restaurant where he worked is closed. He was hoping that the lock-down will be lifted tomorrow (15 April) and managed for past so many days in whatever money he had saved. But since lockdown has been extended till 03 May, he is completely broke and has barely anything left to survive. All that he could think of was to go home- that’s the only though that comforts him and nothing else.

I was saddened when I heard this man. While I was working on COVID-19 specific and sensitive messages for Migrant population all day long and had heard about strategies to help them and read advisories for Migrant population, when I actually saw one narrating his story, I thought ‘does all that we were doing, addresses what he just described?’ Will you, I or anyone in his situation have the bandwidth to abide the rules of the lockdown when our bodies are battling hunger-pangs? Will we care to pay attention to maintain 1 meter distance when all we are longing for is a caring touch of a loved one? I don’t think so. We will perhaps do the same as this gentleman was doing, pick our bags and start walking aimlessly until we find a way back home. Nonetheless, we hesitantly offered him some money with the disclaimer that its not out of pity but for our own peace of mind. He hesitated but later accepted it reluctantly. He started walking again with one handle of the luggage in his hand and the other in his friend’s.

Meanwhile, successfully managing to pull the sliding car up on the slope, I applied first gear and slowly shifted to second and reached the main gate of our society. Accepted the boom-bar challenge, reached parking, reverse gear and then first. I parked, stopped and the lock sound of the car once again squawked, shattering the silence of my society that evening.