Running on the roads in our country is as good as running a steeplechase. Since the lockdown I have a fixed circuit starting from my house and looping back.

Initially it was peaceful but suddenly the authorities in their wisdom decided to cement-concrete a perfectly good road. So half of the road was closed to traffic.

I started running on the functioning half of the road but it was too nerve wracking with a narrow carriageway, to and fro traffic honking and narrowly missing me. So I started running on the closed side.

Initially I had to negotiate a mound of gravel placed to block off the road and then enter a dug up road. Once the cementing started, I was running on the sidewalk across encroached entrances of shops, narrowly missing customers.

Then they dug up the sidewalk and yesterday I was jumping between the freshly cemented road and the sidewalk. Then suddenly my left foot hit an object and the momentum brought my centre of gravity way forwards and trajectory towards the ground.

I took a couple of frenzied steps attempting to bring back my centre of gravity over my legs but gravity one and I was sprawled over the gravel. I my hands elbows and knees bore the brunt but thankfully besides my pride there was no serious damages.