Dec 10, 2024
Dec 10, 2024
Little Janu wishes to be a teacher in future. She is so curious to recount her daily school activities to her parents and grandmother. By now, she has mastered the art of communicating and conversing in an effective way. She is the topper of class V and her family is so proud of her. The unexpected lockdown has literally locked her inside the room. She is not at all enthusiastic. She can’t bear with the quarantine just because she can’t enjoy the exuberances of her school days anymore. She started complaining this to her bedridden grandmother. One day, Janu sat beside her and started screaming all on a sudden. Grandmother could not make any sense out of that and she asked “Why are you crying, Janu darling? Are you not going to school these days?”
Janu replied, “Oh, Grandma! I can’t go to school. It is closed because of the lockdown”
What is lockdown, Janu?, asked Grandma.
Don’t you know there is a new disease named ‘COVID 19’. That will take our lives. So, everything is shut down. No school, no buses, no hotels, no movement these days, Grandma. Everything is locked. We all are on quarantine.
Eeh, quarantine? What is it, my dear?
Grandma, we are supposed to be in isolation at our own places so as to prevent the spread of this virus. We have to socially distance us from others. Staying away from others is the best way of helping each other.
Is it so, Janu?
Yes, Grandma. But, I want to go to school, chill with my friends. I am getting bored here.
Janu started screaming like anything.
Grandma gave her a boisterous laughter. She patted on her shoulder and said, “Janu, everything will be fine soon. You can go to school and play with your friends. But once you reach my age, you will be in lockdown forever. You will be isolated and socially distanced too. What will you do then?”
Don’t worry, Janu. This will be a part of your life once you grow old. Just think of me. I am in a state of lockdown. But, after a few days, you will get rid of this and your life will be normal. My lockdown can be ended only if somebody invites me to a new land you have not seen. So, Janu, please, share a few moments with me these days till our lockdowns get over. Won’t you?
Yes, Grandma for sure.
Little Janu is back with her josh. She started giggling with her Grandma.
22-Aug-2020
More by : Dr. Aparna Ajith