The Panda-Emic

THE PANDA-EMIC

By Linda Neyedly

Amy was confused.

Everyone kept talking about the Panda-emic and she couldn’t understand why.

She heard about it on TV…and on the radio…and her Mom and Dad talked about it, too.

She had to stay home from school, and she missed seeing her friends and her teacher every day.

Her parents stayed home from work and spent lots of time sitting at their computers or talking on the phone.

Amy liked being at home with them, but sometimes it was boring, if they didn’t have time to play with her or read to her.

She did her schoolwork and played with her toys and her dog, Pixie, and watched videos while her Mom and Dad did their “homework”.

Sometimes, they had to close the door to their home office to do “zooms”. It sounded like fun!

But when Amy listened outside the door, all she heard was grown-ups talking about work stuff.

She didn’t hear any zooms.

Amy and her Mom and Dad and Pixie went for long walks every day. Amy loved playing in the park, and Pixie did, too.

But Amy didn’t see any pandas when they went outside. She knew from TV and books that pandas were black and white, and they were furry and chubby and cute. They had round heads and round tummies and little ears and big black eyes.

She didn’t understand why people were afraid of them. She wondered if the pandas were hiding.

Maybe that’s why people were scared.

Amy and her parents couldn’t go to the mall, or the movies, or out to restaurants, or even visit her grandparents, because of the Panda-emic.

So where were the pandas?

When Amy and her parents went to the grocery store, they always wore masks. Amy’s Mom had made them pretty cloth masks to match their coats and some of their outfits, so Amy didn’t mind wearing one.

It was really kind of fun!

Plus, her Mom said wearing a mask helped keep them and other people safe from the Panda-emic.

Amy didn’t understand why. Maybe the pandas were scared away if they couldn’t see people’s faces.

Sometimes, it was hard to tell if people were smiling or friendly when they were wearing a mask, especially if they didn’t nod their heads or say hello.

To protect them from the Panda-emic, everyone had to put sanitizer on their hands before they went in a grocery store, and make sure the handles on the carts were wiped clean.

Amy wasn’t sure why this helped. Maybe the pandas didn’t like the smell of the sanitizer and cleaners?

Her Mom and Dad were always telling Amy to wash her hands. And they washed their hands often, too. Maybe the pandas didn’t like the smell of soap, either.

The white parts of the black and white pandas Amy had seen on TV and in pictures looked very clean. Maybe they just used water to stay that way.

Her Mom and Dad asked every day if she felt okay. They felt her forehead and asked if she had a sore throat. They told her to make sure she covered her mouth and nose if she had to cough or sneeze. If she didn’t have a tissue, they said she should cough or sneeze into her elbow.

Amy thought that was kind of silly…and yucky…but she did it anyway, even though there weren’t any pandas around that she could see.

All of the talk about pandas and the Panda-emic was getting mixed up in her head.

So one night, when she was getting ready for bed, she asked her Mom to explain why everyone was afraid of the pandas.

Her Mom smiled.

“People aren’t afraid of panda bears”, she said.

“They are afraid of getting sick. There is a sickness, called a virus, that is making some people feel like they have the flu. Sometimes, the virus makes it so hard for them to breathe, they have to go to the hospital to get better.”

“So many people all over the world are catching the virus, they call it a Pandemic.”

She said the word slowly and clearly.

“It is a Pandemic, not a Panda-emic. The words sound alike, but they are very different things. That’s why it’s important to stay home so much, and wash our hands so often, and cover our coughs and sneezes, and wear masks when we go to the store.”

“Doing these things helps us stay well, and helps other people stay well, too,” her Dad added.

“Doctors and scientists are working hard to find a way to stop the virus, but we all have to do our part.”

“Ooohhh”… said Amy. “Now I understand.”

Her Mom and Dad kissed her goodnight and she went to sleep with Pixie on the floor beside her bed.

A few days later, a delivery man brought a package to the house with Amy’s name on it.

Amy’s Mom and Dad watched while Amy shook the box and tried to guess what it was.

“Open it and see!” her Mom said.

The box was taped up tightly so Amy’s Dad got a pair of scissors out of the drawer and carefully cut into the top.

Amy unfolded the box flaps and took out the layers of paper covering what was inside.

She laughed with delight when she saw the panda teddy bear that was nestled in the box.

“A panda!” She said, hugging the squishy soft stuffy.

“I’m going to call her Amanda the Panda!” she said. “Mandy for short.”

Amanda the Panda became her favourite toy. Amy played with her during the day, and tucked her under the covers with her at night.

Amanda reminded her that a Pandemic was very different from a Panda-emic.

Amy was happy that she, and her Mom, and her Dad, and Pixie were all safe and well.

And when Amy got bored or lonely being at home, or got tired of washing her hands or wearing her mask, Amanda reminded her that it was important to stay home, and stay clean and stay well, and to help everyone else be well, too.

THE END

(1027 Words)