On a Positive note

“I don’t think they are going to extend this lockdown further.” He was hopeful.

But I couldn’t find a good reason for not to be disheartened. He was back in hometown after four months; that too following a long adventurous inter-state drive amid the momentarily changing Covid regulations in all the states. To mention our luck factor, in two days which he reserved for a stop at his place before driving to us, we were moved into a state-wide lockdown due to the grave situation of Covid in the state. We had been put up with the third lockdown already.

As I anticipated, the lockdown got extended further for ten more days. I started looking for options to obtain a travel pass right off so that he could visit us. But he insisted on waiting for a couple of days more to see if there any relaxations in the rules; a law-abiding citizen, I murmured.

Three days passed. I had been losing my patience already, thanks to my mischievous little one especially. I couldn’t wait to delegate my parenting duties to him for a while and relax – don’t judge me here please. To add to the festivity, there came Tauktae the cyclone which hit the land catastrophically and a red alert was imposed upon us for the following couple of days. Bare possibility for a drive of course!

Lockdown and boredom, both touched the peak that my imaginations flew high on their golden wings. I recalled something that I read in a Science Journal lately, “Boredom triggers mind-wandering, and then mind wandering leads to creativity.” ‘Ohhh yeahh!!’- I engaged myself in the final stage of launching my own space station while my 3 years old son was busy making shapes with his building blocks play set.

“I am feeling under the weather.” He called me up next morning; disappointment in his tone.

We both knew what it meant for him; more than a week of time it usually took for him to beat a common cold. Now what!!?

“It’s okay, few more days..” I reassured.

He sounded more tired than normal.
“Covid!?” I paused.

“No way!” He seemed quite sanguine.

I could never doubt him too because he used to be very cautious about following Covid guidelines and personal hygiene. Nevertheless he wasn’t going to admit a shortcoming in that for sure, I smiled.

“Better get a test done.” I persuaded him as I got struck with suspicion from the description of his symptoms. But the logical science guy in him tried to convince me with all possible chances and every permutations and combinations of symptoms to cause Covid-19, and concluded that it was just a normal Flu. Trust me!! How dare Corona Virus challenge Science!!!

“I am coming to you in two days.” He declared.

“Okay.” I was skeptical though.

“Dad is down with fever today.” His call in the next morning.
I insisted him on getting a Covid test done, but in vain.

“It’s the weather.” He was sure about it; just that he rang me in the following FIVE mornings about each one in the house!

“Could you all please go take a test now?” I appealed.

“Yes, I will go this Saturday.”

“It’s only Tuesday today, why would you wait? Then you better go next month.” I hung up. I was angry this time. It worried me even though his health was getting back to normal slowly.

“Mom went to doctor for a test.” He told me next morning.
“Good. You could also have gone.”
“I am alright now.” He was cheerful.

“Mom tested Positive.” He texted me by noon.
“I know you are kidding, to freak me out.” I replied.
“No, I swear. She is advised to be home quarentined for 14 days, so are we all.” He messaged back.

I turned sighing deeply to see my son who was striving to complete a tower with his blocks. I went back to the process of recruiting astronauts to my new space station!