I took a trip to my local Costco today and like a good customer, I had my facemask on and patiently waited in line to enter. This wasn't a supply run, but a trip to the Optometrist with whom I made an appointment the day prior. So there I was... waiting... standing on my yellow-strip glancing at the sign "AS OF MAY 4th FACEMASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY", occasionally moving to the next yellow-strip when the time came, and after fourteen or fifteen minutes I was in the store. At the Optometrist's office I was greeted by a receptionist who -without saying anything- held out a bottle of sanitizer prompting me to extend my hands for a dob. Next, she said I needed to have my temperature taken which she took with one those now common temperature taking guns they point at your forehead, and then proceeded to run down the rules.
"We're asking you to sit in this chair and please not move until instructed to. We're also asking for no talking unless it is to answer a question if asked by the staff or the doctor." The rest was a pretty general; paperwork, examination, payment, then going home. Evening came. As I reflected on my experience, something felt off. This something was bigger than just the trip to Costco and has been degrading my mental state since the beginning of the outbreak. But before we go there, let's talk about the last three months.
I'm a single parent (Dad) living in Camarillo California. Camarillo is a small community nestled up against the Conejo mountains, and a place some call a suburb of Los Angeles. Here I rent a cushy two bedroom apartment which costs as much as a new five bedroom house in other states (trust me I've looked), but i was content because I love the area, and my office is close by. Around early February the news of the Corona Virus was pretty mainstream, and those in the know were showing others videos of its devastation in and around the city of Wuhan. The general concensus was although terrible, it was life as usual; it could never happen here. Thinking back now, were we as a population already desensitized to death and devastation?
Between mid to late February the rumors of trapped Americans on cruise ships were making their way into the breakroom at the office. Stories of ships not finding ports to dock with their number of sick onboard increasing by the hour. Speculation grew from contact to airborne transmission, and parents -including myself- were debating taking their kids out of school. I even saw a few people wearing face masks whom I thought looked completely ridiculous at the time, but the idea had been planted. "The Virus is spreading".
In early March we were sent home on telework status, and schools had begun to close. Get this... many of you will think this is funny! The School District sent out emails telling parents that classes will resume April 6th as they close for precautionary purposes (HA!). Shortly after news that cases had begun to pop up in major cities were all over the internet but that the cases were isolated and being contained. Toilet Paper and paper towel hoarding was the in thing and you better get some while you can. Side note: Thank you Lord it was something inconsequential like TP and paper towels and not food and water (yet).
Mid March San Francisco issued a city wide shutdown order for all non-essential businesses and traveling. This was only the beginning having a cascading effect across the nation. While the stock market was tanking the first real worry of losing jobs and or businesses hit people incredibly hard. Getting their hands on essentials became the rule of the day. It was the first time I've seen only Pork shoulders and Turkeys in the meat section at a grocery store. The Trader Joes was picked clean.
Heading into April we first started hearing about stimulus checks, a $2 trillion dollar coin, and this could be all over by Easter. Just to say we were fine at this point. We were outdoors hiking, mountain biking, going to the beach, all while homeschooling and teleworking. Life felt pretty good. It was a time you saw many families out not in large groups, but minding their own business enjoying the time with each other. Then the news coming out of New York started with Cuomo screaming for more respirators, overran hospitals and morgues, bodies piling up compounded with images of mass unmarked graves. The constant blaring of rising infected/death counts came with the message "we must protect the elderly! We must do what is necessary for our own safety!" Within a week all state parks within California closed and it was all lines, facemasks, and gloves if you could get them. This has become our current life.
I am the most out of shape I've ever been. I've broken up with my girlfriend of over four years -this was the year we were to marry- because I couldn't live in her paranoid delusion anymore about COVID-19 (no kissing or sex, always facemask and gloves when we see each other, and literally not leaving the house). I used to try to shelter my son from what is happening; keep him from feeling depressed about the current state of things. This was wrong. This harsh reality is a good lesson for him and will make for a stronger person.
Back to Costco. These procedures are so common now they're becoming permanent. When some of you say this is progress towards getting back, I completely and wholeheartedly disagree with you. The longer this continues, the closer we are our new PERMANENT reality.
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[–] 8483rene [S] ago
Hey TomQR,
I appreciate your condolences, but thank you for sharing your story. I also have an adult daughter (20yo) who participates in the "cancel culture" movement. It's "White Supremacists" this... "Nazi" that... "Incel"... "Racist". Her group gangs up on Twitter to ambush people all in the name of what they believe is right. I do believe my daughter thinks she is doing something good, but what it is really is a level of bullying they take pleasure in participating in. I used to debate with her using only logic and facts as my tools and only in a defensive matter hoping she would question her arguments. It led to her not speaking to me for a year. When we began speaking again, I won't engage with her anymore concerning her points. I only hope she can accept the truth when the MOABs finally fall. I despise the Left for what they've done to her.
Thank you for your post, and good luck winning your grandparent visitation.
[–] TomQRiffick 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
i understand totally about not engaging in the back & forth fight. i hate what the schools are doing to our children. actually thinking of running for our school board.
Patriot, i will keep you in my prayers. stay strong - that is what i tell myself often. this is a fight of life & death. there are others that are placing their lives on the line everyday to protect even our progressive children. we need to continue to support them & raise each other up.