When I was around 3-4years old, my parents bring me to my grandparent’s home for several months. My grandpa led me to follow him to climb the mountain at day time. After going back home, my grand mom will cook for us, she helped me take a shower first. So, she can clean the dishes or do the laundry.
After a shower, she wants me to stay alone for a while, then she always asks me: “Do you want to eat an ice pop.” “ Yes! Of course!” I said. She said: “tell me what kind of flavor you like? Let me make magic for you!” “ Milk flavor is my favorite!”. She nodded her head and said : “ No problem! But you have to close your eyes, the magic will not work if you open your eyes.” I said: “ I will use my hand to cover my eyes, make sure my eyes will not open by themselves.'' After a moment my grandma came back and gave me the ice pop. I was really happy and surprised, wondering how she can make that magic so well. For her, that magic can let me stay on the chair for a long time, so, she did not need to pay more attention to me at that period.
As I became older, I knew the “magic” just from the fridge, I just did not know that big metal box can save a lot of ice pops. My parents treat that as a kidding, they thought I was too silly, easy to be cheated by others. But I do not agree with that.
Last week 1/28/ 2020 my grandma passed away because of getting affected the coronavirus. She went to my uncle’s home for the new years' reunion, but after a few days, she started to have a fever and cough. My uncle sent her to the hospital immediately, then she was diagnosed to get the coronavirus. She was blocked in the hospital, my uncle’s family as well because they were suspected to get the virus. As the news says that this coronavirus’ death rate is really high for old people, my mom was really sad, my grandma is 81years old that her immune system is not good like young people, she might leave us forever. I did know what I should say, I comforted my mom said: “ she will be good, she is healthier than her peer, do not worry.” After saying that I think we all know that we might prepare my grandma to pass away in our mind. The reality is that there is not any medicine that can cure this crazy virus. I really want to help them, but I stay here and could not do anything for them, the only thing I can do is keep healthy and do not let them worry about me.
After I received the message from my uncle that my grandma passes away, I was really mournful even I prepared that will probably happen someday. But when it comes out, it was still a big shock for me. My uncle said he was blocked in the hospital and could not go out to make a funeral for her. Fortunately, because he is Christian that his friends can help us make an online funeral. But, they need my help draw a photo for my grandma for the funeral. For sure, I will do it, then they send me a lot of my grandma’s photos which can help my drawing. I drew it for 3 times, they want me to copy the real photo, not like artwork drawing. Also, they prefer my grandma looks younger than the original photo. So, this is the final drawing in the end.
The other day, my grandma became a number in the news of coronavirus information. She becomes the only one who died because of the coronavirus in Sichuan province. Just the day before my grandma passes away, I felt that the numbers just like data for me, I could not feel anything inside it. But now, I can totally feel that numbers are the lives of countless families. Those numbers are human beings which I can imagine they all stand in front of us. That numbers are the people who did not prepare to end their lives in this way.
So, I want to make this work to memory my grandma, use paper to record the story that shows the relationship between me and my grandma. I do not want this work’s meaning too sad for the audience, so, I choose a childish’s way to name this work. Leave my memory with my work in the period when I was 3 years old with my grandma.