Personally, I'm about to go crazy in this house. My son the doctor thinks Debbie and I are old and in need of protection against this pandemic attacking our world. I am not old. I may be a "senior" or maybe even among the "elderly", but I am not old. Old is what you are when you need occasional help getting out of a chair or you consistently groan every time you stand up. Old is when you can't work in your yard without having to sit down and rest every five minutes. Old is when people who appear to be old hold the door open for you and call you "sir". Old is when neighbors panic when they see you on top of your house cleaning out the gutters. Old is when you really need to stay close to a bathroom. Why would anyone think I'm old??
To make matters worse, we're having the wettest March I can remember. Our yard, so desperately in need of spring cleanup, is a sodden mess too squishy to enjoy. So now I can't work in the yard. I can't go to the gym because I was banned from it (see 'my son the doctor' above) before it was officially closed by the city. I can't even go to church because its been closed down for the duration. I am about to go crazy in this house. I thought about asking if my old pals Don and Charley wanted to hit the corner cafe for breakfast but no-o-o-o...no gatherings of more than ten people. I know Don, Charley, and I are only three but if you count the waitress, the cook, the busboy, and the occasional customer, you're going to have yourself a gathering of more than ten real quick. Plus, people tend to gravitate toward the three of us because we're so cool.
Oh sure, there are plenty of things I can do around here without venturing out into the cold, dark world. I just need to get motivated. I have eleven novels waiting for me to read. I could possibly dust my study.....nah! I could build the stove top cover Debbie has been asking for ever since our neighbor, Brent, built one for his wife. He is a troublemaker. I could finish a short story I started two months ago. I could play my banjo (no I can't) or my blues harmonica. However, Debbie's patience is not real strong right now so I tend to stay as quiet as possible.
This pandemic is a terrible thing. I did think we were over-reacting like Texans do every time a light dusting of snow falls on the roads. Now I believe the CDC is giving good recommendations to halt this thing before too many people are affected. If there is a silver lining to this tragedy it's this: The word "caremongering" has been introduced. People are beginning to think of others for a change. There is concern for our neighbors. Calls are being made to shut-ins. Simple acts of kindness are being noticed more than ever before. Here's an example. Our little town of Hurst is completely without toilet paper....well, I should say our residents are hoarding toilet paper and none is available at any of the stores. A young man named Brad, who does small jobs for us, called the other night. He had to make a quick trip to Kansas and while there he found toilet paper on the shelves! He brought us a large box to see us through the siege.
Debbie and I are concerned for our son Cody and his staff. They have officially been exposed to the virus through patients who have tested positive. Healthcare professionals around the world are facing exposure every day. Those in emergency care are especially at risk. Please keep all these professionals....and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Any of these could bring the virus home with them and expose.....oh, I don't know, maybe old people.
