We are doomed! A message I received from Whatsapp. The numbers are climbing. Does not look good.

There’s talk on the street. It sound so familiar. The city is crowded with a noisy silence.

The pain of being alone. Great expectations.

The cries are so loud but are deafened by silence.

Everybody’s watching you. But nobody sees you.

A plea for help is often in the eyes and the heart of the person, so loud yet it cannot be heard.

My Spanish-styled bungalow, my two BMWs. Once the envy of many. I am behind 3 monthly payments.

Credit cards – once my best friends. Now, serpents in my wallet.

The banks are hounding me for payments, there’s no letting up. Phone calls, a barrage of letters of demand… Legal threats….25 years of spotless payments on record, now don’t count. These are the same banks which constantly remind me through all their adverts in media and in mail that they are there for me. Now, they are not willing to listen to me.

Carol is to start college in the U.S. this fall. Judith still has a year left to complete college.

Cash-strapped. Affluent lifestyle yet no money for even a meagre meal.

Drowning in shame. I have never, ever been in a situation like this before. How do I face the public? What will my friends and family think of me? It was almost like yesterday when my family and I were living the best in lifestyle.

Why is the government not hearing my cry for help?….The 17th suicide reported for this month alone. Oh dear, the 7th, 9th, 15th for this month. Are we just reduced to mere statistical numbers, that who we are…by name…does not matter any longer? Or never did?

Sounds familiar? The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have no end in sight. The constant lockdowns have forced many businesses to fold. Many people have lost their jobs. But their financial commitments still remain.

This is all real. We probably may know people who are facing these challenging times. One of the first things we could do is to reassure them that there is no shame because of these challenges they face. It is not important what everyone thinks.

They need moral support at least from their immediate family and friends. This is where we try to help with basic needs like giving them a good meal or some groceries. No questions asked, no advice need to be given. No judgement. Least of all, advice or “I told you so”.

I love coffee. I am awake throughout most of every night, working on articles, always having a cup of coffee at the ready. Sometimes hot coffee and on nights like these where the weather is so humid; I love my coffee chilled from the fridge. I drink coffee almost 24×7. I invite you to buy me a cup of coffee @ $5.00. You can buy a cup of coffee once, or every week or even everyday. Whatever collected, less the price of coffee, PayPal and other expenses; will go towards buying a meal or meals for these people. These people – our friends, family or people in the neighborhood, in no way, have to feel obliged to repay us. You can refer to “Mmmm…Only Cuppa Coffee” at the top of this blog.

Let the silence be heard.