Covid Diaries: Love in the time of Covid

Day 18 - Bike Ride

Charlie and his dad, Jim both loved to watch baseball. Last year, on his 8th birthday, his dad took him to a Blue Jays baseball game. He loved it. He remembered hot dogs and ice cream; it was a very hot day. They both wore their jerseys to show support. Charlie's jersey sported his favorite player's name Donaldson. His dad's jersey had Pillar's name on the back. It was a rare event, spending the whole day with his dad. His dad worked in an office job and traveled a lot.

When his dad was away on travel, his mom Ann would drop and pick him up from school. She worked at a hospital as a nurse. If his dad wasn't travelling, he'd take over school pickup. Charlie enjoyed their talks in the car on the way home. Sometimes, they'd stop and pick up dinner. Charlie could choose what he wanted to eat that night. He loved cheese pizza.

Charlie's dad towered over him at 6 ft tall. He hoped he'd grow up to be that tall too. Maybe he could be a basketball player when he grew up.

"Charlie, ready to go!?", his dad called. Charlie grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs.

"Ok, let's go!", said Charlie and ran to the car. He hated being late for school.

Driving, his dad turned to him and asked, "want to throw the ball around tonight Charlie? Looks like a nice sunny day today."

"Yes!", Charlie exclaimed.

Two months passed and their world had turned upside down. Covid-19 spread throughout their community. Jim's work introduced a mandatory work from home policy.  The Canada-US border closed preventing him from travelling to meet his clients. Being in a sales role, this resulted in a hit to his ability to close deals and impacted his quarterly bonus.  Ann was labeled an essential worker and continued to work at the hospital. She was growing increasingly concerned about spreading Covid to her family. She and Jim decided to keep their distance in the house. They slept in separate rooms and reduced the interactions Ann had with Charlie.

Charlie didn't know about the stress his parents were experiencing. He did notice dad was home all the time now and he loved it. He liked to watch dad work in his office.  Charlie was always bored when his parents were working since school was closed. He missed his friends and dad was his substitute best friend for now.

"Dad, want to see my 3D model? I finished it!"

"Not now Charlie, I'm working. Can you play in the living room please? Please don't touch that", he instructed Charlie. Charlie was trying to grab the model plane his dad kept on the bookshelf. He wanted to display it beside his own.

"Ok", said Charlie and left the room. "What should I do now?", he asked out loud. He picked up his book of spiders. "I'll check out spiders in the backyard!", running outside.

Book in hand, Charlie knelt down and peered at the grass. He found a ladybug instead of a spider. He put it on his hand and watched it crawl and then fly away.

"Charlie! It's time for lunch", his dad called.

He ran inside and washed his hands at the kitchen sink. Taking a seat, he watched his dad put a piece of ham and cheese between two slices of bread, then spread some mustard.

"Go ahead and put some ketchup on that."

Charlie took a bite and chewed, "Dad, I'm bored."

"Did you finish your homework?", Jim asked while peering at his laptop.

"Yes", Charlie lied. He still had math to do. "Can we play ball?"

"Not today, I need to mow the lawn after work and make dinner. Your mom will want to take a nap when she gets home. Why don't you ride your bike?"

Charlie did enjoy biking but he couldn't see his friend Bill right now, he lived down the street. "But I can't see Bill, is it okay I go alone?"

Jim thought about it and nodded thinking to himself, his neighborhood was safe.

Finishing his sandwich, Charlie put on his helmet and went to the garage to get his bike. His dark red bike was scratched up in a few places but he still loved it.

"Don't go too far!", his dad called out.

Charlie started riding, he looked around the street there was no one in sight. Slowing down to look at a squirrel on a tree, he saw a young girl playing in her front yard. She waved. Charlie waved back and kept riding. He came to a stop sign, he could hear his mom tell him "stop at a stop sign, always look both ways". He stopped. He saw a bird fly above him. Watching it fly, he rode across the street. Reaching a small park, he rode around it. His dad had told him not to play at the park. There was yellow caution tape wrapped around the slide and swings.

Charlie pedaled fast and stood up on the bike to cruise down a hill, he didn't see the car coming. He rammed into a blue car that was reversing out from a parking spot.

"Are you ok dear!?", asked an old woman.

Charlie lay still on the ground, blinking at the woman. He was really scared, he felt a stinging sensation on his knees. Slowly getting up, feeling sore, he picked up his bike from the ground.

"It looks like your knees are scraped badly. Can I drop you home? Do you live nearby?"

He could hear his mom say to him, "never get into a stranger's car."

Charlie shook his head and walked away. The old woman hurriedly got back in her car and drove away. Charlie's eyes began to tear up. He tried not to cry. He was too sore to ride his bike and his left arm was throbbing. He wheeled his bike home.

"Dad! I got hurt!", Charlie called out walking into his house.

His dad came running out of his office and his face looked devastated when he saw Charlie.

"What happened!?", he asked running to the fridge to get an ice pack. Sitting down on the couch, he placed the ice pack on Charlie's knees and hoisted him up to his lap.

"I ran into a car or the car ran into me, I can't remember", Charlie said leaning his head on his dad's shoulder. "My arm hurts."

"I should take you to the hospital to get checked out. Sorry buddy I wasn't there", his dad said giving him a kiss on his head and a hug.

Jim sighed, knowing Ann was going to have a fit that evening for letting their son go out alone.

He drove Charlie to the same hospital Ann worked at. She greeted them at the check-in desk.

"Are you alright?!", she asked bending down to take good look at her son.

"My arm...", he moaned.

The doctor reassured them Charlie's arm wasn't broken, just a sprain. He wrapped it up with a bandage and recommended they continue to ice it.

On the drive home from the hospital, the three of them sat in silence. Charlie worried if he was in trouble.

"Go to your room Charlie, I'll be up to check on you", his mom ordered.

Charlie went upstairs. He laid on the bed and listened to his parents arguing downstairs. He knew it was his fault. Then it was silent and he heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Charlie, I'm sorry I wasn't watching you today", said his dad sitting on the bed. He bowed down and put his head into his hands.

"It's okay dad, I won't go biking anymore", said Charlie. He hated to see his dad so upset.

"How about we go camping as soon as your arm is better?"

"Yes!", yelled Charlie. "Thanks dad." This was the best news ever. In Charlie's eyes, dad could do no wrong.

Watching his son's face light up, Jim smiled.