Listen, Lisa by Carina Santillán All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photography, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. Illustrated and designed by Carina Santillán Printed in the USA.
Alpha Graphics https://www.alphagraphics.com/ carina carina Copyright © 2020 Carina Santillán All rights reserved. ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
carina ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
carina ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
To my family, because they are and have always been my first and truest fans. To my Pongo, because‌ well, he’s perfect.
- Carina
written and illustrated by
carina Santillan
DISCLAIMER! The respiratory illness that hit the globe by storm in 2020 goes by the name COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. The ďŹ rst evidence of the disease can be traced back to mid-December 2019 at a market in Wuhan, China. It has since spread all around the world, classifying it as a global pandemic by scientists everywhere. Since this virus is relatively recent, the information about it and its cure is limited. This is why, in order to write this book, I researched through countless websites, including the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization) to have the most updated information presented for children to read and become as informed as they can, regarding what is going on outside their homes. It is important to highlight, however, that any information shared in this book is subject to change due to the ongoing technological and scientific advances being performed every day in order to find a way to overcome it. Listen Lisa presents children the most updated information regarding the virus from the date of which it was written.
Chapter 1: What is going On?
Lisandra Torres or Lisa for short was a very happy eight year old girl. She was competitive and energetic, just like her dad, but she was as stubborn, curious, and analytical as her mom. Lisa had three passions: her family, of course, was on top of the list; picarones, those rich, honey-covered donuts that her mom would make every year for her birthday, and to play outdoors. Lisa absolutely, positively, could spend her entire day just sitting and playing outside. She loved the sun on her face, the grass on her feet, and the birds chirping in the sky. “Ah! This is why summer is my favorite season!� Lisa would think every time she walked out to her small, red porch. She remembered last year how her mom had bought her a pink and blue stripped swimsuit, just so that she could go to the pool with her friend Zahra. They must have spent an entire summer just playing pool tag and challenging each other to see who could do a handstand the longest underwater. Zahra had won of course,
WHAT IS GOING ON?|11
she was the athletic one out of the two, but Lisa would never admit that. Lisa would tell herself that Zahra had the advantage because she had longer arms…or that she had the better side of the pool…or because Lisa just could not concentrate underwater. Whatever the reason had been, Lisa had promised herself she’d work even harder this summer to not let that loss follow her into this year. Oh! How much fun had they had! Splashing and playing all summer long! Remembering her last summer made it feel like it was an eternity away. Things were so different nowadays. Now it just seemed like anytime she even THOUGHT of stepping outside her parents would jump.
12 |WHAT IS GOING
“Are you wearing your mask?” asked her mom “Stay at least 6 feet away!” exclaimed her dad “Is your hair tied back?” continued her mom “Do NOT touch your face!” shouted her dad “I’m only going to the front porch to be with Toby!” Lisa would tell them. Why were her parents always so on edge about the outside? Did they not like the sun on their face or the grass on their feet? Did the birds chirp too loud? Did they not know how to swim? Lisa thought about this while she sat outside and scratched Toby’s belly. Toby, like any other spoiled dog would, just laid back on his back and shook his leg in approval.
WHAT IS GOING ON?|13
“The day is so beautiful and yet I am stuck on her porch” Lisa would think as she saw the empty streets in front of her. Suddenly she felt sad. This whole summer had been terrible! She missed the pool…and Zahra…and the birds…and… Lisa put her head on her lap and let out a big sigh. “Listen Lisa” started her mom as she sat next to her “I know you are upset that you couldn’t see Zahra this summer, but you have to trust us that we are doing our best in order to keep you safe…” “Keep me safe from what exactly? I don’t see anything dangerous!” said Lisa as she looked at the clear sunny sky shinning on top of her yard. Her mom giggled and then patted her on the head. “ Escúchame
Lisa… ” she started “you can’t see it, because what we are protecting you from is very, very small”. “Smaller than my toenails?” said Lisa surprised as she stretched and looked at her toes. “Even smaller!” responded her mom. “Whoa then if it’s so small, then why are we scared of it?” “Well, this tiny little thing is called a virus, and if you get infected, you could become really sick.” “What do you mean, mami ?” asked Lisa, now very intrigued as she knew a story was coming.
14 |WHAT IS GOING
“You know how we eat chicken, beef, or pork throughout the week?” asked her mom. “Of course!” Lisa exclaimed, as she reminisced over all the bacon she’d had yesterday over breakfast. Man! It had been delicious! She even asked for seconds, but her dad had denied it. “ Todo en exceso es malo ” he had said. “Well, just like we eat chicken, beef, or pork, there are people in other parts of the world that eat bats,” Lisa’s mom started, “but unfortunately, one of the bats that was eaten was infected with coronavirus or COVID-19, so when that person ate it, they got really sick”. “What’s a coronavirus?” asked Lisa.
WHAT IS GOING ON?|15
“Well, do you remember three years ago when you got the flu? How you didn’t want to get out of bed, and you were coughing and sneezing all the time?” Lisa nodded. She remembered everything! She had hated being sick. She had missed Zahra’s birthday party that year. All she could remember was wanting to stay in bed and wanting her mom to scratch her head while she slept. “This virus is very similar to that. Many times, people who are infected want to stay in bed, have a fever, cough, sneeze, and feel very tired…” “That sounds horrible!” Lisa said as she hugged her mom’s legs. “Yes, it is,” said her mom with a sigh, “but that’s why scientists are
16 |WHAT IS GOING
working really hard right now to find a cure.” “There’s no cure…?” said Lisa, she felt so sad. “What were they to do now?” “No, honey, but there will be. Remember how every year since you got sick, we go and put on a flu shot?” “Yes” said Lisa with a grunt. She hated needles. “Well, in order for that to happen, scientists before your time worked really hard to get us that vaccine, so that people would stop getting sick!” said her mom as she tickled Lisa, “we just have to wait and stay safe until that moment happens.” “So anybody can get sick?” said Lisa, now looking at her streets with fear. Everything seemed so scary now. Could she sit in this porch and get the disease? Could she breath the air without getting sick? “Not everything has to be scary though,” started her mom,
WHAT IS GOING ON?|17
“Though we don’t know enough about the virus to destroy it, we know enough to prevent it from spreading.” Lisa smiled. Finally, some good news! “What can I do to help?” said Lisa. “For starters, we have to adhere to guidelines from professionals, they are the ones that are most informed regarding this. But most importantly, we also have to take care of each other.” “How are we supposed to do that?” Lisa said almost jokingly. The only thing that Lisa took care of was Toby. How was she to take care of the world?! “Well, we can prevent others from getting the virus!” responded her mom as she placed her hand on Lisa’s head “you see, this is a very easily transmitted disease, meaning that this can be very easily spread between people… If you happen to get the virus, then wouldn’t you want to make sure that it does not spread to other people?” “Of course!” said Lisa. If this virus was anything like the flu, she wouldn’t want anyone else to have it. “So, do we have to live scared of it for all of our lives?” said Lisa. “No, honey! This is temporary. Science has advanced so much! There are so many countries and so many people working to find a cure! We just have to take care of each other until then.”
18 |WHAT IS GOING
Lisa took a deep breath and looked at her mom. She felt sorry for having been upset earlier; now she knew that her parents were only trying their best to protect her. Her mom just looked back and smiled. There wasn’t anything else to be said. Lisa grabbed Toby and followed her mom inside. “Can we at least have picarones today?” Lisa asked. “Your birthday is in a couple of days, bebe , said her mom with a smile, “I’ll make them for you then.”
WHAT IS GOING ON?|19
Chapter 2: How to prevent the spread?
Lisa was super excited to go to the store with her mom. She had promised her that for her birthday she was going to make picarones , her favorite dessert. Lisa was so happy that she could not stop running and jumping all around. She had not been outside of the house in such a long time! “Hey! Hold on, Lisa!” her mom shouted from across the room, “don’t you think you are missing a couple of things…?” Lisa looked down at her clothes. She was wearing her favorite skirt, her most colorful shirt, her fancy poke-a-dot socks, and her black sneakers. What else was she missing? She turned back to see her mom with a big smile on her face. She was holding out something in her hands. “Your mask, Lisa! You need to wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose whenever you go outside” she started. Lisa walked slowly towards her, almost dreading her mom’s keen eye for precautions.
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 21
She had seen her parents wearing it when they left the house. Her dad wore a clothed mask, red like the pillows in their living room, and thick too. Her mom wore the thin blue one with a white strip on top. Her mask was a cloth one like her dad’s, except that hers was pink with blue stars on it. Though she loved the pattern on her mask, she absolutely, positively, hated wearing it! It felt weird on her face and it would get really hot whenever she used it for too long. Wearing a mask was the LAST thing Lisa wanted to do. “I know you hate wearing your mask…” said her dad from the kitchen, “but it’s better than just going out unprotected.”
22 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
Lisa gave out a big sigh as she put the mask on her face and headed to the car with her mom. She could already feel her mouth and nose getting warm as she sat down. “Well, you wanted to go out…” joked her mom. “Yeah, but not like this…” complained Lisa, “I want to go out to sing and dance and jump and-” “You can do all these things with your mask on…” started her mom. “It’s uncomfortable” responded Lisa, “no one can understand what I’m saying, my face feels sweaty, and it hurts my ears!” Lisa’s mom stopped the car. They had finally arrived at the supermarket. Lisa noticed how almost everyone was wearing a mask and keeping a distance from each other. This was so different from all the other
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 23
times she had gone to the market with her mom. Before, people would walk into the supermarket freely, pick any cart, and headed in to shop. Now, she was being handed plastic gloves at the door and there was a guy disinfecting every cart people left behind. “What are these for?” she asked her mom, and she put on the all too big gloves on. “We have to put these on so that, if we touch items in the store that might be infected with coronavirus, it won’t get in our hands, or if we do have it, we won’t spread it into other items.” “I don’t get it…how is wearing gloves preventing anything?” asked Lisa as she looked around the store. “Well, Lisa, do you remember when you ran outside in the rain and fell on that big mud puddle in the backyard?” “Yes! It was so much fun! My clothes were all ruined though…”
24 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 25
“Do you remember how, when you came home, I told you that you would need to wash up before dinner?” “Yes, of course! I scrubbed my hands for so long after that! The mud and dirt had gotten everywhere, even under my nails! It was hard to take it out. So gross!” “This is kind of the same…” started her mom as she picked up a squash, “think of the things that you touched today…” “Well, I scratched Toby’s belly and was playing on the porch with my dolls, and dad asked me to reach for the remote behind the couch and…” started Lisa. “And did you wash your hands after you did each of those things?” “…No…” “Exactly! Imagine all the dirt and bacteria that is hiding in your nails right now! The virus is like that dirt, it hides away in your hands and under your nails. The only way to get it off is to make sure you scrub it clean, like you did with the mud.” Lisa looked at her hands surprised.
“DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE COVID-19 HIDDEN UNDER MY NAILS?!” she exclaimed worriedly.
26 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
“Not necessarily” her mom assured her “it just means that if you do go outside, you have to avoid touching things and to try your best to not touch your face, at least until you can wash your hands for at least twenty seconds.” “Ugh, I hate counting!” complained Lisa, “it’s just so boring...” Lisa’s mom laughed. “You can try singing! You can sing the Happy Birthday song twice; it is your birthday!” she said in between giggles.
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 27
“MARGARITA?!” said a voice loudly behind her. “Luisa!” exclaimed her mom as she walked past Lisa to greet her friend. Tía Luisa was her mom’s very best friend. In fact, Tía Luisa and Lisa’s mom were so close that she had gotten into the habit of calling her Tía instead of Mrs. Luisa. Her daughter, Fernanda, was also a friend of Lisa’s, and they often hung out whenever their mothers wanted to get together. At least, that’s how it was before everything changed. “It’s been so long since I saw you last, Márgara! I’ve missed you much” Tía Luisa started.
28 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
“I know; I’ve missed you too!” “You look great too, Lisa! Fernanda has been missing you too, she asks about you all the time” she said. “I have missed her too!” said Lisa a little sad. “Do not worry, Lisa, you will see Fernanda soon enough!” said Tía Luisa as she walked towards the bakery aisle “I’ll call you tonight, Márgara! Bye!”
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 29
“If you guys missed each other so much, why stand so far from each other?” asked Lisa once Tia Luisa had disappeared by the breads. “Remember how I was telling you about the mud and the hand washing?” “Yes…” “This is similar to that as well” said her mom as she placed the flour next to the oranges and something that said “cornmeal” at the front. “If you were covered in mud, don’t you think you’d have to wash up before you go around hugging and touching everybody?” Lisa nodded. “Same goes for the virus. The farther you are from people, the harder it is for the virus to infect you. That’s why we have to practice social distance.”
30 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
Lisa was surprised. “Does that mean you wouldn’t hug me if I was covered in mud?!” “I would hug you if you were covered in mud, honey, or slime, silly!” joked her mom as she got near the register, “all I mean is that we have to distance ourselves from other people as if we were covered in mud. We can prevent the virus from spreading by keeping ourselves six feet apart from others, so that it will be harder for the virus to spread.” Whoa said Lisa as she jumped back in the car to go home. Now home, Lisa ran to the door. “Don’t touch anything!” she yelled at her mom as she placed her hands on the air and ran to the bathroom. Lisa counted to twenty as she washed her hands, just like her mom said. Once she was done, she went to the kitchen to help her mom with the groceries. She was in the kitchen wiping all the boxed items with disinfectant wipes and washing all the fruits in the sink. Once she was done, she helped her mom to clean and disinfect the counters where they had placed the food. “Just getting all the mud out right, mami ? ” asked Lisa. “Every last bit!” said her mom.
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 31
L a t er t h a t night, he r d a d a nd mo m sat aro und the table to sing “ Ha p py Birthday” to Lisa . Her mo m had made just eno ugh.
picarones , so tha t they c ou ld each get three, fo ur if she wa s h ed he r ha nd s b e fore she ate. Although she missed not having a party with all her friends and family, she was sure that she’d have more birthdays to celebrate with them later. She’d just always remember to wash out all the mud from whenever she did.
32 | HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD| 33
34 |CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID
Chapter 3: Caring for someone With COVID
Today had been a good day for Lisa. She had eaten pancakes for breakfast, played with Toby for a couple of hours, and even been able to talk with some of her friends over a videocall that their parents had set up earlier that week. The only downside to her otherwise wonderful day had been that her friend Zahra had not been able to be part of it. In fact, she had not seen or heard from Zahra for what had felt like an eternity! Had Zahra forgotten Lisa? How was she to navigate the fourth grade now without her very best friend? Lisa thought as she sat next to Toby and petted his fuzzy head, “I’m glad you don’t have to worry about these things, Toby!”
“LISA!”
called out her dad from the stairs, “come down, please!
Your mother and I need to speak to you about something…” Lisa jumped off her bed, put on her favorite pink bunny slippers, and zoomed down the steps. By the time she made it to the living room, her parents were already sitting at the dining room table. They had a serious look in their face. CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID| 35
Lisa had never seen them like this before. Her mami and papi were always smiling, laughing, and cracking jokes. Now they had a stern look on their eyes that worried Lisa. What was going on…? “Is everything OK?” asked Lisa nervous. “Remember the videocall you had earlier today with all your friends, bebe ?” asked her mom. “The one where Zahra was not part of? Yes, I remember…” Lisa couldn’t help it, she was still mad at Zara for not even trying to talk to her. Weren’t they supposed to be friends? “There’s a reason for that, honey…” said her dad. “Lisa, Zahra has COVID-19…” said her mom. Lisa felt her heart sank. Zahra sick? Zahra was one of the strongest people she knew.
36 |CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID
Zahra could do a handstand and cartwheels, and she ate all of the vegetables that Lisa did not like at lunch. How could someone like Zahra get sick? Lisa could not understand. “Her whole family has gotten sick” her mother continued, “but Zahra had a fever today, which is why she was not able to be part of the video chat we organized.” “How did she get sick?” asked Lisa with tears on her eyes, “did she not wash her hands? Did she forget her mask?” “ Mi amor , we are not sure…” said her mom, “from what her mother tells me, a relative who they did not know was sick, stopped by the house about a week ago. Since that day, Zahra began coughing, losing taste, and today she got a fever”. Lisa began crying. Toby scurried to Lisa’s legs and placed his head on her slippers.
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID| 37
Her parents stood up from the table and ran to her side. Lisa’s mother grabbed her head and placed it on her side as her dad stroked her hair. “Can I go to visit her? I don’t want her to be alone…” asked Lisa sadly once she calmed her tears down. “I don’t think Zahra is feeling alone right now, Lisa” started her dad, “If anything, she’s probably getting a lot of attention from her parents right now…” “Plus, right now is probably not the best time to go to visit to her, you have to remember that this virus is very contagious…” said her mom. Lisa felt terrible. Not only was Zahra sick, but now she couldn’t even see her!
“WHAT’S THE POINT OF BEING A FRIEND IF I CAN’T EVEN BE THERE FOR HER?!” exclaimed Lisa angrily as she stormed into her room. Lisa jumped on her bed and slumped her head on the pillow. It was bad enough that Zahra was sick, but even worse was the fact that she could not see her!
KNOCK KNOCK Lisa’s mom walked into the room and sat down on her bed. “Listen, Lisa… I know it is really tough right now,” started her mom as she stroked her hair, “and I know that you are upset that you can’t visit
38 |CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID
“I just don’t know how I can show her that I can be there for her if I can’t even see her…” cried Lisa. “I get that, sweetie, but there are other ways that you can show Zahra that you really care…” started her mom. “We can help them with grocery shopping for example…” “But I thought that they had to quarantine?” asked Lisa. “Well, we could buy the groceries for them and drop them off at their home of course!” hearing this, Lisa began feeling a little better. “We can call them and check on them every day. You can talk with Zahra and make sure she is taking her medicine and following the doctor’s instructions.”
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID| 39
“Zahra hates doctors…” “All the more reason to check on her! I’m sure she’ll prefer hearing it from you rather than her parents…”. Lisa laughed as this was true. Zahra could be so stubborn at times! Toby jumped on her bed and cuddled next to her. Lisa was beginning to feel a little better when something dawned on her. “ Mami … i-is Zahra going to be OK?” Lisa had seen the news and heard her parents talking. There were so many people who had died as because of this virus. She was so scared that Zahra would be one more. Lisa felt her tears coming back. “ Mi amor, yes, it is true, this virus is dangerous and has claimed many lives, but there are also many who have survived!” responded her mom. “In fact, the majority of people who have been infected with COVID-19 have not gone to the hospital…”
“THEY HAVE NOT?!” exclaimed Lisa. Zahra’s mom had taken her to the hospital for a small stomachache, so she couldn’t picture them not even seeing a doctor in these trying times. “No, Lisa, you see, many of those with COVID-19 can be treated at home, because the majority don’t experience severe symptoms. The hospitals are only treating severe cases of COVID-19, such as trouble breathing, pressure on the chest, having blue lips, or if they are unable to stay awake.”
40 |CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID
to give her one more week and see how she feels then, because symptoms usually go away after 10 days from when they began to feel sick, if they aren’t severe.” “So Zahra’s fever…” “…is within the normal range for most patients. As long as her symptoms begin going away by next week, I think Zahra will be OK!” Lisa was so happy she could not contain herself! She twirled and danced around the room. She was not scared of the virus anymore! “How can anyone be scared of this virus then?” Lisa laughed. Her mother stood up and gave her the look.
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID| 41
“Just because Zahra is on the road to recovery does not mean everyone’s body will react the same” said her mom sternly, “look at how Zahra’s parents were totally unaffected by the virus, and yet Zahra got a fever… we have to make sure we are being careful.” “Oh” said Lisa looking at mom’s worried look. “All I mean, Lisa, is that we have to assume that everyone can be affected badly by this virus. That is why we have to follow procedures and precautions. We don’t know whose body will respond well or not if infected” said her mom now, softly, as she sat back on the bed. Lisa leaned unto her mom’s arms, and she placed her hand on her now tangled hair.
42 |CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID
It’s OK bebe ” said her mom as she kissed her forehead. “The important thing is that Zahra is beginning to feel better by the looks of it. All you have to do now is be there for her and check on her wellness often. Can you do that?” “For Zahra? Of course I can!” said Lisa. She stood up and headed towards the stairs. “Where are you going?” asked her mom. “I’m going to ask dad if I can borrow his computer, so that I can message Zahra. I might not be able to call her if she has a fever, but at least I can type her something nice that she can read once she feels better.” Her mother smiled. “Just don’t take too long! Dinner is in an hour!”
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH COVID| 43
Chapter 4: How do I deal with this?
The morning air was brisker than usual. The first leaves had begun falling from the trees and the winds were blowing a little harder than they had been last week. Lisa stepped into her patio and took a deep breath: fall was here. Oh! How she loved the fall! Though summer was her favorite season, she had been stuck inside for most of it, and so Lisa waited eagerly to go back to school. She had missed her classmates so much! Not that she’d had a particularly an eventful summer, but she knew they would have a lot to catch up on. There were still two more weeks to go before the school year could officially start, but Lisa could not wait! She walked back into the kitchen and began looking for her school supplies. “ Mami , when are we going to the store to buy my stuff for school?” Lisa asked.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?| 45
Every year, right before the school year started, she and her mom would go to the store and pick up Lisa’s school supplies. Her favorite was the purple and pink folder with the stars in the front. No one in her class ever had the same one and it made Lisa feel like she was special. “Oh Lisa! I already went and got you all the supplies. The school provided them all for us, I went yesterday morning and picked them up. They are over there by the counter” said her mom. Lisa stared over at the big, white box sitting on her kitchen counter. “WOODSON ELEMENTARY” was written in black letters on top. She felt her heart sank. She turned back to her mother in disbelief. “Virtual school? What are you talking about?” asked Lisa. Her mother turned around and looked at her. “Honey, with everything going on, many schools have decided to close down to prevent students from coming back and getting sick.” Lisa could not believe it. This whole time, the only thing that had gotten her mind off the virus was the idea of coming back to school and seeing her friends. She wanted to start fifth grade by meeting all her new teachers and talking to all her friends about her eventful, yet uneventful summer. In one hand, the world was living through a global pandemic, and in the other, she had been bored out of her mind. Lisa let out a big sigh and flopped onto the couch.
“UGH! I HATE THIS!” 46 |HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?
exclaimed Lisa as she placed a pillow over
her face and screamed into it. She imagined that, if that pillow had ears, her screams would’ve left them ringing. She was just so upset! “I can’t believe that not only do I not get to see my friends, but now I have to force myself to look at the computer for eight hours” complained Lisa. Her mom let out a chuckle. “…Lisa, you’re on the computer ALL of the time…” she started. “Yeah, but not for school…” grunted Lisa under her breath, “Besides, you will be with your friends,” said her mom as sat next to her, “they will all be part of the same video call.” “Oh?” said Lisa as she slightly pushed the pillow off of her face. She was
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?| 47
still upset at the situation, but the possibility to at least see her friends, even if it was through a computer screen, had cheered her up a little. “Even Zahra?” she asked shyly. “Yes, even Zahra” said her mom, “her mother called me yesterday to let me know Zahra was feeling all better now, so she’ll be joining you guys once school starts!” Lisa grinned. She was glad that Zahra was feeling all better, she’d even called her yesterday to make sure, but she couldn’t help but to feel frustrated. She had followed all the instructions given to her by her mother and her father. She had washed her hands every single time she went outside, or if she touched something that had been outdoors. She had helped her mother disinfect the food whenever they went grocery shopping. She had not gone outside and seen ANY of her friends. How much longer was this supposed to go on? She was so tired of staying home! She wanted the sun on her face and to touch the ground with her feet. She wanted to hear the birds and swim in the pool. She wanted to bike up and down the hills of her neighborhood. She wanted to run up to a pile of raked leaves and jump into them and watch as they flew and settled around her. Sure, her father would be furious after, but she loved it! She wanted to see Zahra and play with her during recess. Most of all, she was so tired of worrying over this virus!
48 |HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?
“How much longer, mami ?” grunted Lisa. “How much longer of what, mi amor ?” “How long are we going to stay, you know, like this?” Lisa’s mother took a deep breath and looked away. She was not smiling nor frowning, she was solemn. Her stare made Lisa feel as if her mother were a million miles away. “ No lo sé ” said her mom finally, “I don’t know how or when all of this is going to be over, Lisa”. She placed her hand on Lisa’s cheeks and pinched them. Lisa hated that, but it had made her mom smile. “What I do know is what I’ve told you before. There are a lot of people who are working to bring us a cure” said her mom. “We just have to be patient until they do”. “Listen, Lisa, we are also living in a time when we have information instantaneously! Can you imagine people in the 1800’s knowing as much as we know right now of what is going on in the world?!” she continued. Lisa laughed at this. She could imagine one of the princes from her movies attempting to use the Internet how silly! “We know how to protect ourselves from it and what to do if you or someone you know gets sick. We also have found ways to pass the time, even if it is indoors…” said her mom.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?| 49
“We have Internet phones, computers, commodities, ability to be close to our love ones, even if it’s through a phone screen,” said her dad as he passed by. He quickly walk past them and disappeared into the kitchen, “Don’t mind me! I’m only going to the kitchen to eat your mother’s leftover ravioli…” he said with a snicker. Her mom rolled her eyes and smirked. “All I am saying, Lisandra, is that although it’s hard right now and though there is a lot of uncertainty, it does not mean that things have to stay that way. We have to focus on the present and notice the good things that are happening to us every day.” “Like make a list?” “Sure! If that helps you...” said her mom. “All I am saying is that things will get better. We have a lot more knowledge about the coronavirus right now than we did nine months ago or even two months ago!” she continued “this is not forever, things will get back to normal soon enough, bebe.” Lisa smiled. Hearing her mom list all the advances and work that was being done while she was sitting down on her couch had motivated her. “I want to make a daily list of the good things that have come out of this summer…” she said. “That’s a good start, Lisa!” said her mom, “every week you should
50 |HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?
make one list of all the good things that have happened during it.” “Maybe I could share it in class?!” Lisa said as she twirled. “Maybe you’ll inspire others to make a list for themselves as well…” her mom said with a smile, “the world needs that right now.” “Lists?” Lisa asked jokingly. “Hope” said her mom “remembering our virtues reminds us that even in situations such as this one, something good always comes out of it.” Lisa nodded. “Plus, humans have literally survived dozens of other pandemics, so…” said her dad as he popped his head out from the kitchen.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?| 51
“Oh no! Don’t start with your stories about diseases again, I really don’t want to hear about the bubonic plague before dinner” shouted her mom. “But it is interesting!” cried her dad, “it’ll show Lisa that science has overcome diseases before and-”
“NO!” “But the yellow fever was also-”
“NO!” “OK, but at least let me tell her about the flu epidemic! Now that was -” “
JORGE! I WILL TAKE BACK THOSE RAVIOLIS!”
Lisa listened and couldn’t help but laugh. She loved her parents and loved the fact that they had managed to keep her safe even through all this craziness. She was happy that she would be able to see Zahra and her friends again once school started. She was also… Suddenly, she felt a flood of ideas popping into her head. They rushed in like a waterfall and she worried that she might miss them all if she didn’t write them down right this second! All the things
52 |HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?
that she was thankful for had come swamping into her mind. She ran to her room, pulled out a piece of paper from one of her old notebooks and began to write… “Lisa! Time for dinner!” cried her mom from the stairs. “Coming!” yelled Lisa as she rushed her last ideas into the sheet of paper. Lisa picked up the wrinkled paper and pinned it unto her wall. Every time she felt frustrated over the situation, or any situation for that matter, she’d stared at it and be reminded of it. She felt comforted, and thus at ease.
“LISA!” shouted her mom. “COMING!” cried Lisa as she rushed down the steps. Yes, Lisa loved the fall!
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS?| 53
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to thank Miguel SantillĂĄn, my tĂo , who instigated the power to imagine and create. My entire family whom, though no fault of their own, have had to deal with my mood swings and stresses while I completed this book. My friends, who supported me and pushed me to reach my goals and deadlines. My coworkers and their children, the true inspires of this story; had it not been for them and their ability to confide in me their struggles for balancing work and keeping an eye on their youngsters to make sure they are attending classes, this book might have never been written.
GLOSSARY: (In order of appearance) Picarones: They are a typical Peruvian dessert. Their primary ingredients are squash and sweet potato. The dough is fried into a donut shape and is topped with chancaca syrup. Escúchame: Listen to me Mami: The equivalent to ‘mommy’ in Spanish. Papi: The equivalent of “daddy” in Spanish. Todo en exceso es malo: Spanish proverb; everything in excess is bad Bebe: Baby Tía: Aunt Mi amor: My love No lo sé: I don’t know Tío: Uncle
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carina Santill án is a graphic designer, cartoonist, and illustrator based in Virginia. She is currently preparing to graduate with a B.A. in Visual and Art Technology with a concentration in Graphic Design and a minor in Animation from George Mason University. She has always had a fanaticism for comics and cartoons, her favorites being those illustrated by Peter de Sève and Bill Watterson. Being a native from Perú she has also carina had her share of influences from fellow Latino cartoonists such as René Ríos or “Pepo,” and Quino. She loves to doodle and hopes to be able to create her very own graphic story someday.
carina ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
carina ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN
carina ALIGNED TO YOUR DESIGN