Fear of starvation amid the coronavirus-forced lockdown ended Shyam Babu's dream of "big-city school" for his child as the family packed their bags to return to their remote Chewara village in Bihar.
For the last two months, he has been struggling to make ends meet.
As Babu reminisces about the last eight years, since he moved to Gurgaon in search of work, and ultimately got his son admitted to a school here, his 8-year-old son Neeraj is reluctant to leave and pleads his father that he will stay back and go to school when it reopens.
He fears that there may not be any coming back to Gurgaon and he will have to study in a village school from now.
"I have been in Gurgaon for eight years now. I have worked as a labourer at different construction sites. I always wanted my son to study in a big-city school since those in villages are not that good.
"Neeraj got admission in a government school here. His fees and meals were taken care of and we were happy that he will get a good education and will not have to work as a labourer when he grows up," Shyam Babu told PTI.
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With no work and wages pending, Babu's family had to vacate their rented room and were waiting for a chance to catch a train back home.
"Neeraj wanted to stay back so that he can resume school when it reopens. But how can we leave him here alone?" he said.
Unhappy about visiting his village suddenly with all their belongings, Neeraj said, "I like the school here. I wish I am able to come back and the situation turns normal soon. If they will let my father build houses, I will get to come here too."
Diwan Raj, who worked with a catering firm here, said, "My son's school here is very good. They also sent sanitiser and masks for the whole family and the teacher explained to us on phone about the virus and precautions everyone needs to take. You don't get all this in village schools. Children then struggle when they grow up."
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