“Being just a 6-year-old, I was scared to fly alone but meeting my parents after 3 months was all I could think of,” said Vishal (name changed on request) who’d flown from Delhi to Chennai, all by himself. He was picked up by his mother at the airport after which he mentioned how he’d missed home for three long months. 

“We had all gone to my grandparents house in Delhi in February for a small vacation. I was happy to be with them. I wanted to stay back so mom and dad came back to Chennai. My father had to come again to Delhi within 10 days so he thought he would bring me back the second time around. But because of the coronavirus his office trip got cancelled. We were still thinking how to bring me back when the lockdown was announced and all trains and flights were cancelled. I was fine because I was with my grandparents, but I missed my amma and appa too much too. I missed my room, my friends, my house and I really wanted to go home soon. 

My grandparents  tried their best to not make me miss home. We used to talk to amma and appa every day on video calls and phone calls. But seeing them on the phone was not equal to being close to them. I wanted to hug amma and sleep at night and be woken up with appa’s voice in the background. 

Every day, I was waiting to hear my mother say - I have booked my tickets and I am coming to get you. I had started missing them so much that I did not even like food anymore. My grandmother tried to make my favourite dishes but they were just not the same as amma’s. Sometimes amma would tell me a story on facetime while my grandma would feed me...I know they were doing all this to keep me happy. I so wanted to go back home. At night sometimes I would hide my face in the pillow and cry.

One day I did not feel like eating anything at all. I heard my grandparents talking that the flights had resumed and they should think of some way to take me back home, but since they are old, the fear of virus was big. I was half happy, half unhappy..I don’t know..I think I was confused. I did not even eat my dinner ...then amma called to ask me to eat my food.

Hearing her voice, I just started to cry...I cried so much...I did not even think of hiding my face...I just help the iPad close to myself and kept crying and kept saying that “I want you amma, amma, please come.”

And then amma asked me, “Would you be okay to travel all by yourself and come home?” Go back home? Wow! “Yes, yes, yes.” I did a small dance...that made everyone laugh...but also cry...I don’t know why, but everyone was crying, Amma, Appa and my grandparents. My appa booked a flight for me from Delhi to Bangalore.

I don’t think I slept that night. I kept thinking that I will tell amma this and tell her that; I will ask amma to cook me this and that; I wanted to meet Ranjan also, my best friend who stays in my building in Chennai. Wow! What a story I would have to tell him...travel all the way alone! 

I packed all my things 3 days in advance so that I do not leave anything back. My amma and appa gave me instructions on how and where to go and what to read. My grandparents wrote my name, my parents’ names, their phone numbers, our address, my flight number, everything on a card and hung it around my neck; they also kept Rs 250 in my pocket, in case I wanted to eat something at the airport, though they had packed three idlis for me. They came to drop me at the airport. A nice looking lady, who was the air hostess, greeted me at the door of the airport. She was supposed to be my friend throughout the journey.

Saying goodbye to my grandparents I felt sad. They too cried a bit. But then I wanted to go back so much..

I was also scared to be travelling all alone. But the air hostess took care of me; every time we were doing anything she made sure to explain to me what and why we were doing it.  She also gave me a small bag that had a few crayons, a small colouring sheet, a funny face mask, and a small toy aeroplane in it. I was so excited. The nice aunty sitting one seat away from me asked me why I was on my own. I told her how I was away from home for three months and now was going back home. She was very happy to hear it and clapped for me. She also bought me a packet of chips that were being sold on the flight.

At Chennai airport, the air hostess walked me to the door. My amma was waiting there for me. After that I don’t remember much...just lots of crying and how when I wiped my nose on amma’s suit, everyone laughed...and lots of thankyous and bye byes...I don’t remember much now....”