Made in Quarantine

The girl just practiced gymnastics. She did somersault, backwards and forward, ending in a handstand or just in a simple pose, she did cartwheel, she did flare moves. She combined moves with the skipping-rope. She loved to skip the rope since she was 3. This was the first thing she learned from her big sister, and she never stopped loving it. This was the first step in her dream to become an acrobat. For her dream, she really went that extra mile. After her long list of obligations, of course: school, homework, extra classes in Math and English – the glorious way to the successful life.

„Why would you settle for a life where you have to overdrive yourself for a chicken feed , when you can bang for the buck? You have the opportunity to learn, and become an economist or an engineer, or have any other well-paid occupation for the future! Do you know what I would not have given for this support?” that’s what her mother always said, bringing the girl back down to earth.

Her big sister was a different story. The big sister loved the girl’s passion for gymnastics, she loved all the practices done and she way always willing to listen to her new ideas or watch the newest Youtube video with her. Their relationship was not saddled with any obligations. It felt freed and free.

There were no chance for running away from her obligations - until the chance kicked the door open with most surreal event happening to the world. An epidemic quarantine hit in, making the people staying at home in voluntary quarantine and every activity to be suspended: no schools, no meetings, no carnivals, no public events.

The streets were still open, but nobody was outside. The silence out there felt unreal.

Kept home from school, with nothing to do and nowhere to go, the girl and her big sister were left alone with online tution and some extra homework – and with a much needed extra free time. It went without the strickt observation from her mother, who had to work even harder from the home-office.

So the girl is doing the air flare. She is doing drills and swipes, combined with her fav, the skipping rope.

All with her big sister by her side, who was doing videos of all the gymnastics she is making.

In the evening, roles change and the girls is the one by her big sister, who is doing her passion without the observing eyes of the mother: video cuts and animations. Before ending the day, a brave idea hits in: if they cannot show what they can do to their mother, because she would not understand, then why not just show to everyone? So they post the first video of the girl’s tricks on the social media - hoping for likes and comments, to prove that they are good at what they do.

Next morning they wake up to an unbelievably high number of seens, added with hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. The girl feels shocked, but proud.

"Do you think this can convince Mama that it is not stupid what we are doing? Do you think she would let us practice after she sees this?" she asks her big sister.

The big sister sits down to the PC, and starts to type furiosly.

„I do not think so. Not yet. But we can still raise the bet… Go big or go home, am I right?” she thinks out loud.

The evening comes and her big sister acts weird: she has ants in her pants, walking up and down in the rooms. Nothing is said, but the excitement is palpable. The girl is sitting next to her in silence for 2 hours, when the phone rings with a video call.

„You have to do this with me, please.” the big sister begs.

She picks up the phone, and at the end of the line is Laci Gáspár (the Hungarian Will Smith, if you now it better that way). The smile is persuasive, the style is Miami Vice. The background scenery makes it pretty clear that he is hosting a show again – also that they are all on air, with the video of her gymnastics launching in the background.

„Hi Darlings! So you are the gymastic sisters, aren’t you?” he asks. Before any answer can be said, he goes on. „Everyone loved your video on our social media accounts and they think you must have a bright future as a performer. Congratulations, the video were voted in and ranked the highest this week in the show of Made in Quarantine!”

The world is fading as he tells the great news. All this is happening so sudden, so out of the blue, but this is everything and even beyond the her wildest dreams. The moment fades, the anchorman hungs up the phone, and the girl remains on her seat confused, mixed up with happiness and guilt of her success.

„I cannot believe it. But…. Mama told me no one is interested in this stupidity with the skipping rope or these moves. And now the whole country is watching it on their social media and on TV” she murmurs.

"This should be a feedback you needed." the big sister replies. "If you have audience, they would love, what you do. Your act stands out in the media. They would love to work with you in the future, if you want to."

The girl's voice closes with fear when she answeres „This is not the future Mother chose me.”

The big sister gives a stern look, her eyes are determined.

 „No, it isn’t. This is a future you would choose. And you can choose it, if you want to. For yourself. Would you choose to throw it away because of one opinion?”

Their mother sits in the other room in silence. She has already finished work, but she wanted to watch the video of the girl's gymnastics, edited by her big sister. Tears well up in her eyes as she is watching the video. She is so proud of her girls. Not because they did something she has not approved, but because even in their twisted way, they found happiness. And no matter what mothers say or do, happiness is the thing every mother would choose for her children.