Covid 19 diary part II

The weather was perfect: Abundant sunlight. No breeze. Cherry blossoms in bloom. The news said the world was ending, but it was a beautiful day. Were they certain? Everything seemed normal. There was traffic on the streets. Across the road the pawn shop and Vietnamese sandwich place were open for business, The bar was closed, though; in the afternoon the owner came round to board up the windows. It was a beautiful day for such a thing.

Customers have to rent cars out in the parking lot now. Two chairs and a table have been set up on the sidewalk. All of us talk about the Plague, make jokes about it even. I’ve heard such a thing is called gallows humor. Back home in California they have a shelter in place order in effect. No one knows if that is going to happen in Oregon. Will we be allowed to stay open? Our trade is transportation so there is a chance. Life in Portland goes on, nothing seems different on the surface but there is a feeling like being in a movie or a dream.

The area manager tells me that the company believes things “will be bad for a year or so.” I nod as if I agree but I don’t think anyone has a clue what will happen. Pandemics are unpredictable; all that is known is that people will get sick and some will die. For the time being I still go to work and clean rental cars. We have twice as many cars as our lot will hold so I have to find places for them all around the neighborhood. It is my favorite part of the job, just walking around, taking in everything in bloom. Listening to the birds.

That was yesterday. I got paid so I need to do some grocery shopping. I was going to order

groceries for pick up but you can’t order toilet paper on-line. Will any be there? Unknown. Am I buying food for a couple of weeks...or longer? Again, unknown. The numbers in a pandemic tend to increase geometrically; the situation next week will probably be completely different than this week. The weather, though, is supposed to be the same: Perfect.

Be safe, be happy, and for the love of God wash your fucking hands.

Izk

#CoronaVirusUpdate #COVID19 #Portland