Pestilence at nineteen

Seven

March 29 , 2020. Canada.

Dear Father ,

It's been ages since I heard from you , I am so sorry I penelopized for so long before writing and I know how worried sick you might have been not hearing from me. I write this letter to tell you about my life in Canada and mostly to brief you about the just emerging Asiatic virus : Corona Virus , which I know you would have been acquainted with over there in Nigeria.
First of , how was your Christmas festivity , did you go anywhere or do any new thing ? Aunty Ifeka is doing okay, and her child Bobo is now big , she says he looks like you and hopes he gets as smart as you too. Canada has been full of surprises , funny how I manage to speak the Quebecoise French , it's really draining and ardent. I made friends , lots of friends : Rebecca O'Neil a Canadian , Shekodran Dimitrov a Russian , Rosa Tingles a New Yorker and my dear Jason Durham , who also is a Canadian - I know you might be wondering why I coalesced the title "dear" along side Jason's name - thing is Father , I think I am in love with him. He is quite my type of person , smart , lively , energetic, playful and committed. I don't know how you will feel about that though - you know , he is Canadian and all , I just hope things might work out.
Father , the Corona virus pandemic over here is increasing sporadically. In Canada here , we have 102,242 confirmed cases , 65,001 recovered , and the appalling deaths of 8,484! all these things have been going on since December and the WHO have kept the lid on them. The lockdown activities have begun and they are really sedentary and tiring . All I do all day is play tennis with friends at home or watch movies with Jason ; although, termed a lockdown , I am not really as static as it implies. The way this thing is headed we might as well be confined to our homes for long and the Governmental agents in persons of Justin Trudeau , Mike Crawley, Anna Gainey , and Suzanne Cowan , have all taken various procedurals to help curb the virus in all Ottawa and Canadian sectors. Since the vaccine for treatment is not forthcoming , people seem to have lost hope and are bent on the idea that they might be staying home for a very long time...I and Jason want to correct that idea and together we have joined a taskforce called C.A.D.O.C , Coterie Against Distortion of COVID-19 , for the agitation "COVID-19 has a right to live" we have to live with it like we have done with other outbreaks .
We as a body , intend travelling to Italy , at least to give the citizens some hope (after China , they are the majority affected by the deadly virus).
I will drop my pen here now , and I hope to hear from you anon. I miss you so much Father and I know you will be proud of me. I will try my very best to be careful out there , and please take care of yourself.

Your Daughter,
Joan (Kadinene).

Pa Jesa tried his best to hold back the tears in his eye as he read , he too had been confined to the sedentary lockdown. He arose from his chair , grabbing his alpenstock in hand , he walked straight to his window and gazed at his surrounding , she was right , he had to put himself to good use in this lockdown , he weighed the proximity to social critiquing again , he felt up for it but that would mean gaining contact with the outside world. Christmas came and left , he sat alone all day watching the news and sleeping , he expected nothing from anyone and his only company was his chartreuse. He managed to eat crumbled noodles which he didn't fail to microwave himself , his ulcer was killing him inside and he knew it.
"Clang!" came a thunderous fall of utensils from the kitchen, who could it be? he thought , rats? a thief? a visitor? he expected none , and besides this was a lockdown period , people had to stay safe at home. He grabbed his alpenstock and held it in the position of a club , he managed to walk stealthy towards the kitchen and the sound became more clearer and audible , it was somewhat ravenous a reard , as he pushed the door he beholded the sight of a wild looking boy , devouring his noodles rapidly and ferociously .
"Who in Providence's name are you?!" he asked trying to sound imperative. He noticed the boy cried as he ate without raising his head. This was the job for the cops, he thought , he couldn't possibly handle thievery in this his present state. He went straight to his library to place a call , as he dialed , he noticed a figure kneeling beside the door , it was this same boy again , this time , compassion overruled Pa Jesa's heart for the boy spoke English.
"Please Pa! don't call the police on me" he knelt with his two palms close to each other.
"What is your name? who are your parents?" he asked vehemently
"Nissis , Nissis is my name , there is lockdown outside , my mother is in Benin city , she is hungry Pa , please don't let the police catch me ... lockdown is outside" he spoke hurriedly.
"Okay , get up , get up , sit down..." said Pa Jesa , he noticed the boy looked so unkempt and wild. He beckoned on him to follow him to the bathroom , where he gave him a clean towel , a sponge and soap.
"You can use the shower?"
"Yes sah" he affirmed
"Good , take your bath and meet me in my library"

* * *
"Perfect! you look fresh now my boy"exclaimed Pa Jesa as Nissis came out of the bathroom. He paused for a moment and wondered what was happening to him , this boy had suddenly giving him some purpose in life , and he just wanted to enjoy the moment of being a father again. As he brooded , he moved his gaze to the lad , who was staring mechanically at a book on his desk.
"You read boy?" he was forced to ask
"Little Pa"
"What grade were you before the lockdown?"
"College! JSS 3 Pa"
"Good , very sharp my boy!" he exclaimed , he loved the way Nissis retorted to every question he asked.
"Are you hungry?" he asked inquiringly
"Yes Pa , very hungry" he said
"Go to the freezer , you can have anything you want"
"Thank you Pa" said Nissis kneeling down again. This irritated Pa Jesa very much that he spoke.
"Don't kneel again , just a thank you would suffice " he corrected
"okay Pa" he walked quietly to the kitchen without having an impulse to turn his neck. Pa Jesa glanced at the lad again , "very enigmatic!" he said almost out loud. He grabbed a paper to read and just as he was about to get himself engrossed , a voice came through the door again.
"Pa ?"
"Yes Nissis?"
"Will you send me to the Corona police?" he asked fearfully
"That remains to be seen my boy ... if you are a good..."
"I will be a good boy sah!" he interpolated.
"Hmm , okay my boy. Go eat." he was too enthralled by the boy's sharpness , he knew deep down that they would get along well. Maybe this was a chance life was offering him again. He picked up a note and scribbled "Dear Kadinene , ".