BEHIND THE MASK

Sherpa offers recollections of life during the Covid-19 pandemic in Jackson Heights, an epicenter of the crisis in New York City.

The author is a Nepali immigrant who established roots in Jackson Heights two decades before the pandemic struck. Although he was a tourist guide in his native Nepal, he studied barbering when he settled in the United States, and he is the proprietor of his own salon. Naturally gregarious and curious, with a disposition suited to patient listening and a passion for storytelling, he made many friends in his barbershop. (He composed this detailed memoir in Nepali—it has been reverently translated into English by Paudyal and Gill.) Sherpa and his neighbors began following the news about Covid-19 well before the virus extended beyond the shores of China. Anxiety was building, but the illness was oceans away—until it wasn’t. Once the first cases in the United States were reported, tensions rose exponentially. Household supplies grew scarce, and even the local Costco was filled with empty shelves. Sherpa used his friendships and social media connections to source the new essentials: Tylenol, thermometers, disposable gloves, and sanitizers. When the lockdown was imposed in New York in March of 2020, the bustling city came to a silent halt; shops closed, and normal city sounds were subsumed in the wails of sirens. After the first weeks of lockdown, Sherpa found himself stressed and restless. Because the virus was so new, rumors about how it spread and how to treat it abounded—Sherpa writes, “Everything seemed fearsome, and the scenario was moving beyond what any of us could have imagined. People appeared scared by almost everything.” Still, Sherpa found a mission: When he went out to shop for his family, he would also graciously pick up things for homebound neighbors and friends. Word spread, and he began making shopping runs multiple times a week, always taking care to follow the recommended precautions of social distancing, masking, and using sanitizers.

Although this memoir, pulled from the author’s diary, contains much that is repetitive (daily routines, shopping lists), it effectively communicates the stasis of Sherpa’s life while sequestered in his home with his wife and two young teenaged sons. It is also philosophical and reflective; the author includes a wealth of information about Nepali customs transported to the United States and his earlier life in Nepal. From remembered conversations with friends, readers learn about the hardships and losses within Sherpa’s community. His descriptions of the psychological toll of social isolation are emotional and poignant. Once he joined the Coronavirus Awareness and Support Group, he had a ready excuse to leave the house: “In a way, it felt like the members of our relief group were addicts, constantly seeking to hide our activities from our loved ones.” (He felt guilty, but compelled.) The stories of the group’s work highlight the generosity and compassion of the Nepali community, a light that shines brightly throughout these pages. Color photos of family and friends accompany the text.

An intimate, heartfelt portrait of one New York City community’s struggles and resilience.