Chernobyl Syndrome

As you know, I am working on my book. I thought I would reveal a small story of my life that have impacted it tremendously.  Enjoy reading! 

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It is nice spring day April 1986. I am 8 years old. Another day and it is time to go to school. Beautiful spring day, when everyone is excited not wear heavy coats and itchy sweaters anymore. I am walking to school enjoying the weather and like always meeting my friend Adele in the middle of my way. Our art class was about to begin so we were chasing one another, screaming and laughing. We knew that prior to our class we needed to make it to a locker room to change our shoes, as this was mandatory. At last, with our artwork completely wrinkled, we made it to our class and took our sits waiting for our teacher to arrive. 

Boys were still running around making noise and throwing paper planes at each other taking last advantage of the teacher’s absence. Our teacher was late and we were all very happy, less time to be focused and less time to be quiet. It was common for a teacher to be late few minutes and we were always taking very good advantage of it. Our classroom was like a playground then. But this morning our teacher was late little more than usual. In such cases, the class representative was suppose to go to the teacher office to see weather we were suppose to get a sub, go home or just continue waiting.

Before we went to the office the classroom door opened and we saw the director standing with her face very serious, maybe even terrified. When a director showed up, it was usually something urgent, sad and very important. Her persona made everyone immediately take their sits, drop their activities, finished all the conversations and be so quiet that you could hear a mosquito flying. We were all very curious what is it all about. It was not any special time of the year to expect anything and yet something was there we just didn’t have clue what that could have been.

Finally she spoke up and told us to keep quite, stay in our places and wait till she returns shortly. That was not whole lot of information, but just through the tone of her voice we could have assumed despite of our young age that it was something serious.

While she was gone we were coming up with all sorts of ideas. Last time she showed up, train on the way back home killed three of our colleges. Hence her presence as nice of a person as she was didn’t connect with nicest circumstances. She was back fairly quickly as she promised. She stood there in front of the blackboard and said with her voice down and firm:

“I want you to listen to me good now. Pack all your stuff, and leave school. Don’t push your friends, stay together, go straight home, do not stop anywhere on the way back!”

We were all very happy to be dismissed from school. It was a nice day to be out, we immediately thought and then she interrupted our rumor by saying:

“There was as accident in a railway that you can see across the window. And now the air is very polluted. We are out of masks so when you are walking home cover your faces with your gourmets”

Air looked good to me, sun was shining, we didn’t smell anything, and all looked exactly same. But as usually I knew it was better to follow the orders. Take information for granted and just roll with it. And also we were all just eight years old, we couldn’t ask more questions or negotiate and I don’t even remember I wanted to.

School was very crowded, everyone was walking towards the door, I don’t remember anyone having a clue of what was happening. Yes there was a railway across the street, and yes there were many cisterns in transit, but we didn’t know what was the content of it and it was not any of our concern.

We made it through crowded hallways and doors; we were out on fresh spring air, yet we were covering our faces as needed. For fun sometimes we were taking off gourmets and taking deep breathes just for fun and to show everybody nothing would happen to us anyways. Boys were leaders at this, all of them were hero, and we were screaming at them telling to put it back on as the director recommended.

My brother and I were walking home together, he felt responsible to escort me. Completely unconscious of what happened we came back home locked the door and waited for our parents to arrive from work. My brother Piotrus was five years older so I assumed he must have gotten bigger piece of information. I came to his room like I always used to do, not to talk this time but to listen to what he would have to say.

He told me there was explosion. That was a lot of information! We went back to our common activities, enjoying day of from school. I don’t remember weather or not there was anything going on TV, but today I know that even if there were, it probably wouldn’t be the truth. Besides we had only two TV programs 1 and 2, black and white. At this age we didn’t watch the news, news were not for children. 7:15pm was cartoon for children on one of the channels and then it was time to go to bed. Adults were watching TV and some of them were taking all for granted and some of them could make a bit sense of this nonsense.

Both of my parents arrived home earlier. By looking at their face I knew something was different. They were talking quietly to each other and looked like they didn’t necessarily want us to hear all. I knew when they were talking to each other in such manner I was not supposed to ask any questions. I was weather considered still just a child or it was none of my business. I saw my dad leaving but I know he was suppose to come back fast with something. My mom wanted him to leave right away to make sure it will be enough if “it” for our family. This was not very unusual at that time so it didn’t make any special impression on me. When my dad left I came to my mom and asked her where did he leave? She told me he left to pharmacy to pick something up. I was confused, as I didn’t know anybody was sick. My dad returned quickly with big bottle of liquid. Then we were all asked to come to the kitchen in order to take some of it. It was awful, I remember.

We were given information, which was supposed to be enough for children, no question asked. Only adults talked between each other. I didn’t know for a long time what was this liquid for and then I frankly didn’t care, I trusted my parents. I think my parents were scared, I am not sure they knew what there were doing. But it looked to me as if the decision needed to be made fast, and there was no room to think, they needed to act.

That day changed my life! Entirely! My life and many people lives. But as we go on, we forget things; we move on and come across different new things, tragedies and problems. We don’t realize very often that what we struggle with today is just an outcome of what could have happen twenty years ago.

And the day that changed my life forever was April 1986 when Chernobyl happened. It took me long to realize it. It took me long time to recall it. It took me long time to put all the dots together. But I did, and today I am sitting on front of a puzzle and I am almost done. Few more pieces will make me happier, I am looking for them, and they must be here! 

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I hope you were intrigued enough so that you would subscribe to my blog, follow me and join me in this extraordinary time when i decided to open up ant tell you stories that for many years have been covered up, forgotten and kept as a secret.I am looking forward hearing your feedback.