My name is Skanda and I will be 6 soon.

I woke up a little late that day. I expected Amma to shout on top of her voice, “Skanda…Get ready…It’s getting late…” The house is always hyper with frenetic activity early in the morning. But today it’s all calm! Whats up? It’s not Sunday too. I walked into the kitchen to find amma humming my favourite song, “Pibarae Rama Rasam…”
She turned to me and said…”Oh you are up..Go sleep for a little longer”
I was puzzled. I asked her wasn’t it getting late for school?
She said…No more school for a long time…
Oh, really…Why?.Then am I going to Mena Paati’s house…I asked her excitedly. She said…No the government has told us not to step out of the house as Corona Virus is rampant and spreading everywhere.
“But can I stay alone at home with Jayakka?”
“No. Appa and I are not going to work. All of us are staying at home”

I was so thrilled and happy that I went screaming around the house shouting….Yayyyyy! Yipeeee!

Amma was not as thrilled as me.

She said that I must help her in chores and also do some English and Math lessons.
I shook my head vigorously still in a state of animation. I am going to have amma to myself everyday, throughout the day and night! Thank You Corona Virus, whoever or whatever you are!

I was also very relieved not to go to school as lately my so called close friends seem to be ganging up against me. Do I have any friends at all in school..I used to wonder. Day care was better. But sometimes gets boring when everyone goes away to nap.

The days started flying away fast. I started helping around the house. The best job I really liked was sweeping and mopping. It’s really fascinating to do this, except that it gets really hot and makes me sweat a lot. Amma has begun cooking something nice everyday. I really really love the little cup cakes she makes for me and the yummy creamy cheesy pasta. Yesterday she made me eat some chutney. It was tasty but a tad spicy. Amma and Mena paati keep telling me to eat spicy food, but  actually my tongue and throat burns. I have to run to the water and gulp glasses of water. I wonder how Priya handles spicy food. Well, she eats animals anyway. Yecch! But I have started eating egg. It’s so yummy, especially the omelette.

Skype Music class is about to begin. I actually don’t like to sit in front of the laptop to sing. It’s so silly! Cannot see anybody, and cannot giggle at the mistakes others make. And I hate the third kaalam. How can one coordinate the thalam with the swaram! Its crazy! Amma decided to give up skype classes. She said the teacher was going at super speed. I wish I can grow at super speed. Suddenly if I become 18 then I can drive cars. My first car will be a Verna. A Black Verna. Senthil thatha had it. But he sold it and bought a white Swift. I still miss the Verna. I miss all my old things. I hate to say Good bye to things. Amma said that if broken we must give it away or throw them away. But why can’t I have  them…repair and keep them? Amma gave away my old cupboard. But now I got a new one all shiny and polished. It actually looks good.

I wish I can go see Mena paati and Senthil Thatha. Let me tell you a secret! Mena paati allows me to do all the things I love. She also allows me to watch lots and lots of Youtube in the Big Mac which they have. She also makes me tasty Paruppu sadham. Somehow her sadham tastes a little better than amma’s. Thatha is very strict. He wants me to watch Mac less. And also orders me to keep washing my feet and hands. He says only then Corona Virus will run away. Thatha is always right! The point is if Corona goes away, amma will go back to clinic and schools will open and the usual boring life will begin. Who understands my point of view!

I can actually read faster now. I love working on numbers. I believe I take after appa in that aspect. I prefer numbers to English. I hate it when amma takes her blue school folder out. that means 2 hours of work. Phew. Nowadays I watch. If she goes near the blue folder with a sense of purpose in her gait, I know that she will pull that out and imprison me. So I sneak out, downstairs to play with Sankari Paati. By the time I come back it will be time to go to the terrace to fly kites. I love the terrace. Sometimes we take our dinner there and eat it.

One afternoon I begged and begged and asked amma to take me to Mena paati’s house. Thatha who opened the door was surprised and so happy. I quietly tiptoed into the bedroom where paati was lying down. She was asking thatha…was it the watchman who rang the bell? I went in and with a shrill scream jumped on her in the bed. That was a fun surprise. She was so happy.

I miss my keyboard classes. At least for that to start, Corona should go. But amma and appa were telling me that so many people are suffering without any money because offices were closed. That is sad.

I prayed to Baba that evening to take care of all the people who are sad. Amma said that if little boys pray God will listen. But I am not that little anymore.  I am going to be 6 soon.

My birthday is coming. I hope I can have the party in Just Jump. I will invite all my friends. Definitely this time must invite my Day care friends too. Oh I actually miss school. It will be fun to go back. Maybe in the TV they will announce that Corona has gone and Schools are going to open.