23 March 2020: Living Through Uncertainty

 

Plot

The chapter opens with temporal clarity: “It has been more than a month since I arrived in Singapore.” This establishes distance from arrival and marks a shift from anticipation to crisis. The tone immediately darkens as Kombani states that he has “watched in horror as things have taken a turn for the worse.” The phrase signals escalation rather than gradual change.

The global context is outlined directly. COVID-19 “has now been declared a global pandemic,” and “no country or continent has been spared.” The scope moves from international to national: “A week ago, Kenya confirmed its first case.” This progression narrows the crisis from abstract global threat to personal relevance. Kenya is no longer distant from Singapore in terms of vulnerability.

Singapore’s response is described in concrete policy measures. The government has:

• advised employees to work from home,

• restricted social gatherings,

• closed “all educational institutions,”

• implemented “strict border controls and quarantine measures.”

These are not speculative fears but enacted regulations. The tightening of border controls directly affects Kombani’s plans to relocate his family. He explains to the children that there is “a problem” and that travel is becoming “more difficult.” Internally, he acknowledges that “chances of travel were becoming slimmer by the day.” The tension arises from this contrast between what he tells the children and what he privately understands.

The conversation with the children becomes the emotional centre of the chapter. Malik, “always trying to put up a brave face,” asks, “How far are we with the permits?” The question reflects responsibility and awareness. Kombani reminds the reader that Malik is “turning twelve this year,” underscoring the weight of expectation placed on a child.

Nimu’s response differs. She is “more concerned about my well-being,” even while anticipating relocation. Her identity is linked to family continuity — named after her grandmother, “adding to the four other Naomi Wairimus in the family.” The text notes that all Naomi are “empaths,” reinforcing inherited traits.

Zee’s reaction contrasts with both siblings. Nicknamed “The Last Bandit,” she asks, “When are we coming?” and quickly shifts to another topic before going out to play. Her behaviour reflects youthful resilience or distraction rather than sustained anxiety.

The chapter then widens again to public developments. Singapore launches “TraceTogether,” a mobile application for digital contact tracing. Governments urge safe distancing. Kombani notes a structural challenge in Kenya: “The environment is not built for safe distancing.” This observation introduces a socioeconomic dimension to the pandemic response, contrasting infrastructure between countries.

The emotional atmosphere is described as “gloomy,” with “no shortage of bad news.” The death of country musician Kenny Rogers becomes a personal trigger. The memory of Sammy humming “The Gambler” surfaces, and a portion of the lyric is quoted:

“Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away
and knowing what to keep…”

The lyric functions within the narrative as reflection rather than decoration. It parallels the need for discernment during crisis.

Amid this uncertainty, Kombani relocates within Singapore. He moves to Tampines, “just a few train stops” from his office. The condominium unit is described as “huge” by Singapore standards, with a swimming pool, tennis court, and gym. Materially, it represents progress and stability.

Yet the emotional register shifts. Despite being furnished, “the house still looks large and empty.” This emptiness triggers memory of a childhood house “near Kimotho Mbembe without the sofa,” which his mother compared to a “ferry.” The metaphor suggests hollow space waiting to be filled. The parallel reinforces a recurring pattern in the narrative: physical relocation without immediate emotional completion.

A daily ritual underscores solitude. Each morning, he opens all the windows to “let in fresh air,” creating a “rejuvenated atmosphere.” Each evening, he closes them “with a sigh.” The repetition of this action emphasizes routine shaped by absence.

The chapter moves toward reflection rather than resolution. Kombani tells the children that “it will soon be over,” but immediately admits, “I do not know if it will be.” The uncertainty is reinforced by data: “Close to 10,000 deaths have been reported by the World Health Organization.” The crisis is quantified, not abstract.

He notes that this “kind of tension is new to the children,” referencing Kenya’s post-election violence as a prior national crisis they were too young to experience. The comparison situates the pandemic within a broader historical frame.

The letter closes without closure. He prepares for “a call with the young ones and then later with JSO.” The ending returns to routine communication rather than dramatic event. Structurally, the chapter captures suspension — plans delayed, movement restricted, family separated, outcomes unknown.

The plot therefore advances not through action but through tightening constraints. Global declaration leads to national confirmation, which leads to policy restriction, which leads to personal uncertainty. The emotional arc mirrors the widening impact of the pandemic — from world to country to household to individual.

Imagery

The chapter relies on concrete, observable details to create atmosphere rather than emotional exaggeration.

Visual Imagery

“Though furnished, the house still looks large and empty.”

The image is visual and spatial. The house contains furniture, yet appears empty. The emptiness is not literal but perceptual. The contradiction between “furnished” and “empty” produces a visual impression of space without life.

“There is a massive swimming pool outside, along with other amenities like a tennis court and a gym.”

The listing of amenities creates a clear picture of affluence and physical comfort. The detail is precise and material, contrasting with the emotional isolation that follows.

Kinetic and Atmospheric Imagery

“Every morning, I open the windows in all the rooms to let in fresh air… Every evening, I close the windows with a sigh.”

The action of opening and closing windows creates movement within stillness. “Fresh air” suggests renewal. The “sigh” introduces sound and breath, reinforcing quiet loneliness. The repetition of this daily ritual builds atmosphere through routine physical action.

2. Metaphor

The most direct metaphor appears in the recollection of the earlier house:

“You remarked that it looked like a ferry.”

The house is compared to a ferry. The metaphor works on structural similarity: both are large and hollow. A ferry also implies transition and movement. By recalling this metaphor in relation to the Singapore apartment, the text links past and present experiences of relocation and incompleteness.

The metaphor is not expanded or explained in the text; its meaning emerges from context.

3. Juxtaposition

The chapter repeatedly places contrasting realities side by side without overt commentary.

Global vs. Domestic

• “COVID-19 has now been declared a global pandemic.”

• Followed by conversation with children about permits.

The shift from global scale to household conversation compresses world crisis into family space.

Luxury vs. Emptiness

• “Massive swimming pool… tennis court… gym.”

• Immediately followed by: “the house still looks large and empty.”

Material abundance is positioned next to emotional absence.

Reassurance vs. Doubt

“I tell the children that it will soon be over, but I do not know if it will be.”

The conjunction “but” structurally holds optimism and uncertainty together in one sentence.

4. Repetition

Repetition appears in both structure and thematic reference.

Structural Repetition

“Every morning… Every evening…”

The repeated phrase frames the day. It emphasizes routine and monotony during isolation.

Thematic Repetition

There is repeated reference to restriction:

• “work from home”

• “restricted social gatherings”

• “educational institutions have been closed”

• “strict border controls”

• “quarantine measures”

The cumulative listing reinforces a tightening atmosphere.

5. Allusion (Intertextual Reference)

The reference to Kenny Rogers introduces intertextuality.

“Memories of Sammy humming to ‘The Gambler’ came flooding back to me.”

The quoted lyric:

“Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away
and knowing what to keep…”

The allusion functions without explicit explanation. The lyric reflects discernment during crisis — what to hold onto and what to release. The text leaves interpretation to the reader.

6. Symbolism

Certain recurring elements carry symbolic weight within the narrative context.

The Empty House

Though physically large and furnished, it symbolizes emotional separation. The house is prepared for family life but remains unfulfilled without their presence.

The Windows

Opening windows suggests hope and anticipation. Closing them “with a sigh” symbolizes deferred expectation. The repeated act reflects daily cycles of hope and resignation.

TraceTogether Application

The mention of the contact tracing app symbolizes technological adaptation to crisis. It represents institutional response and digital surveillance as part of pandemic control.

7. Understatement

The chapter uses restrained language to describe severe circumstances.

“The atmosphere is gloomy.”

The word “gloomy” is simple and understated given the scale of a global pandemic and rising deaths. The restraint strengthens credibility.

Similarly:

“Chances of travel were becoming slimmer by the day.”

The phrasing is measured. It conveys seriousness without dramatization.

8. Contrast

Contrast operates thematically and structurally.

Singapore vs. Kenya

“The environment is not built for safe distancing.”

This statement contrasts Singapore’s structured response with Kenya’s infrastructural limitations. The contrast is implied rather than argued.

Children’s Optimism vs. Adult Realism

Malik’s brave questioning contrasts with the father’s internal acknowledgment of declining travel prospects.

Zee’s quick shift to play contrasts with the gravity of global events.

9. Foreshadowing

“More on this later, Mother.”

This line signals continuation. It suggests unresolved tension and further developments. It does not reveal what will follow but indicates narrative progression.

10. Parallelism

There is structural parallelism between past and present relocation experiences:

• Moving into a house without a sofa in childhood.

• Moving into a large but emotionally empty condominium in Singapore.

Both moves involve physical space lacking emotional fullness. The repetition of relocation underlines a recurring pattern in the narrator’s life.

Overall Stylistic Character

The dominant stylistic quality is restraint. The text avoids ornate language and emotional exaggeration. Devices such as metaphor, repetition, juxtaposition, and allusion operate quietly within factual narration. Emotional depth emerges from contrast, memory, and precise detail rather than overt commentary.

Themes

1. Impact of Global Crises on Personal Life

The chapter presents the pandemic not just as a distant news item but as an event that directly shapes the narrator’s routines, decisions, and emotions. The global spread of COVID-19 intersects with the narrator’s personal and professional life:

• “COVID-19 has now been declared a global pandemic, with most countries reporting cases. No country or continent has been spared.”

• “A week ago, Kenya confirmed its first case. The Singapore government has advised employees to work from home and restricted social gatherings. All educational institutions have been closed.”

The chapter documents the tangible consequences: travel restrictions, company mandates to work from home, school closures, and government advisories, emphasizing how global crises translate into personal limitations and disruptions. The narrator’s own work and plans for family reunification are directly affected, illustrating how macro-level events ripple into everyday life.

2. Parental Responsibility and Family Anxiety

The narrator’s role as a parent is central to the text, revealing the tension of protecting children emotionally while managing real-world uncertainties:

• “When I spoke to the children, I sensed an air of trepidation even as they tried to sound optimistic.”

• Malik asks, “How far are we with the permits?” showing his attempt to shoulder responsibility in the narrator’s absence.

• “I told them to be the man of the house I told him to be when I was leaving. … I did not tell them yet, but chances of travel were becoming slimmer by the day.”

The chapter emphasizes the delicate balance between providing reassurance and acknowledging harsh realities. The children’s anxious questioning and the narrator’s careful responses illustrate the psychological strain of parental duty during a crisis.

3. Adaptation to New Environments and Circumstances

Adjustment to a new physical and social environment is a recurring theme, particularly against the backdrop of the pandemic:

• “I moved to a house in a district called Tampines, just a few train stops from my office. By Singapore standards, the condominium unit I rented is huge; even the agent remarked that it was a good deal.”

• “Though furnished, the house still looks large and empty. It reminds me of when we moved to the house near Kimotho Mbembe without the sofa, and you remarked that it looked like a ferry.”

• “Every morning, I open the windows in all the rooms to let in fresh air, creating a rejuvenated atmosphere. Every evening, I close the windows with a sigh.”

Descriptions of physical space reflect psychological states: spaciousness contrasts with loneliness and uncertainty, and routines like opening windows become acts of control and self-care. The narrator’s detailed observation of surroundings shows an attempt to establish normalcy in a challenging context.

4. Uncertainty and Anxiety

The chapter communicates a pervasive sense of unpredictability, both from external factors and internal concerns:

• “Singapore has now implemented strict border controls and quarantine measures. Kenya declaring additional cases is making travel more difficult…”

• “Close to 10,000 deaths have been reported by the World Health Organization. This kind of tension is new to the children.”

The text repeatedly references rising cases, government restrictions, and the difficulty of travel, highlighting the psychological impact of uncertainty. The children’s limited exposure to past national crises, such as post-election violence, further accentuates their sense of vulnerability, reinforcing the theme of anxiety shaped by circumstances beyond one’s control.

5. Technology and Social Response

The narrative illustrates the reliance on technology as a tool to manage societal crises:

• “In other news, the Singapore government has launched a mobile application called TraceTogether to assist with digital contact tracing efforts.”

This reflects how technology becomes embedded in daily life and policy enforcement during emergencies. The narrator’s observation of technological interventions contrasts Singapore’s structured, tech-driven response with the logistical and infrastructural challenges faced in Kenya, highlighting the role of digital solutions in social adaptation and crisis management.

6. Resilience and Hope

Even amid uncertainty, small acts and routines convey perseverance and optimism:

• “Every morning, I open the windows… creating a rejuvenated atmosphere.”

• “I tell the children that it will soon be over, but I do not know if it will be.”

The daily ritual of opening windows symbolizes active engagement with life, breathing in hope and maintaining structure. Similarly, verbal reassurance to children, even when uncertain, reflects human resilience—efforts to nurture optimism and courage despite circumstances.

Summary of Themes

1. Global crises affecting personal and family life, disrupting routines and plans.

2. Parental responsibility and the anxiety of guiding children through uncertain times.

3. Adaptation to new environments and the challenge of establishing normalcy.

4. Uncertainty and psychological strain caused by pandemic restrictions and travel limitations.

5. Technology as a societal response and a tool for managing crises.

6. Resilience, hope, and small daily actions that sustain life and morale.

All themes are drawn directly from the narrator’s observations and reflections, offering a factual, text-based perspective on living through a global pandemic while adjusting to a new home and caring for a family.