March 2020: The world was a terrifying place. It was scarier than an nuclear missile from North Korea.
Corona Virus
I’ve lived through Herpies, Aids, H1N1 and various flu’s and yet somehow this was different.
I couldn’t tell you, but one day I was scared. Someone died in Washinton State, then other places. Companies were closing, schools were closing, Sports events and Concerts were cancelled and people couldn’t breathe.
What’s next, its all too much.
It was a normal Sanday at the 19th Street Safeway store. Three days later. Meat, peanut butter, bottled water was in short supply and the toilet paper aisle was ransacked.
Man is powerless over this desease.
Our President said, it was nothing more than a simple virus that would be gone before you know it. People were getting sick but not in Sacramento. Then one I noticed there was no traffic on J Street at 7am. Few people were on the street at rush hour. A real life Zombie Apocalypse.
From that day forward, I wore a mask, not just at work. While a lot of people in Sac were wearing masks, in Yuba City, a man was yelling at people entering the Wal Mart calling mask wearers communist.
My days were filled with Cable News, Facebook, Twitter. On You Tube people the world over were fighting for Toilet Paper.
My world was/is my small apartment, work, social media and Safeway. I reached out to friends online, re-established contact with old friends. Reminded those important to me, that I loved them.
During the pandemic , I started many important projects to improve my little world, most are still waiting completion. I have mastered, new desserts. Discovered online couponing. Binge watching became normal. I watch and comment about the Housewives and other reality shows real time on Twitter.
When the walls started closing in, a long drive to the mountians or the ocean reminded me I was alive. I love Sacramento, I cant imagine living in the flat lands of Texas or Kansas.
The Toilet paper shortage was real. People beating the crap of out each other on you tube. Other’s had toilet paper bidding wars on Ebay. TP was never an issue for me. I buy the single ply, thousand sheet per roll Scott Toilet Paper.
I leaned quite a few of my friends shopped for Toilet Paper several times a week, even if they had a supply at home, they feared running out of TP.
For one friend, Toilet Paper was an obession. She lives alone in midtown with three cats. Her day would start at five in the morning and she would call stores all over Sacramento for Toliet Paper. She would befriend workers in the store to learn when the paper would be delivered.
Someone said, her apartment had more rolls of Toilet Paper than Costco before the pandemic.
As a joke, I called and asked her for a roll. “I don’t have extra she said” I kept pressing. “Your my only hope- I’ve called everybody-I am two sheets from armageddon!: She was not amused and hung up. I called back, and she said if I continued she would call the police. GOT IT!
She was not happy1 She called her friends wanting to find out who the leak was! ! She told a mutual friend “not to talk about her and her life! Okay, we all got it and someone should call Dr Phil!
Over a weekend, the super hoarder went to visit her parents. She didn’t completly close the golden door that held her bounty or Charmin, or Cuddle Soft. When she returned home, there was snow inside her apartment, the cats shredded rolls and rolls of Toilet Paper, every room, every piece of furniture was covered in toilet paper. The evil devil in me wanted to call…. But, I could push her over the edge and become Sacramento’s newest missing person., so I stayed in my lane.
For a lot of us, life as we know it, will never be the same. In the last year, Ive become more resilient. I’m know longer scared and have adjusted to the new normal. I’ve become more conservative in my spending, because I cant take tomorrow for granted. My love is deeper and stronger. I have a greater appreciation for my life today and the people in it.
A year ago, I didn’t know anyone who had the disease, today I know many. Covid took out family memebers young and old. Yes, there are people who still believe this is a hoax or a way to thin out the population. A family member said, the vaccine sterilizes black people. I plan to be on time when its time to get my shot.
Many years after the last pendemic, many Americans wore masks,. I think a mask will be a part of my life from 2020 forward. Meanwhile, I’m here,able to laugh, smile and love.
CityFella
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