Social Distancing Week Five
Rooster and I are trying to make the best of our Social Distancing Week Five. We have discovered our quarantine routine isn’t going to be easy to maintain. #covid-19 #quarantine routine #social distancing #walking
We have now entered into week five of the great social distancing experiment. Everyone in the world has become a specimen under a microscope to be studied by social planners and scientists. The novelty of the situation has worn out its welcome. Rooster and I have fallen into a quarantine routine.
The giant difference in the life we now live since COVID-19 is the lack of choices we can make in our day. We both still dedicate a significant amount of time to our various projects. I’m putting words on the page, and Rooster does his thing at the desk across from mine. What we aren’t able to do is venture out into the world without fear.
Mundane quarantine routine
Our life has become so mundane. I wonder if there is any point in continuing this blog about social distancing. There isn’t much of an adventure to write about now that the uniqueness of the situation has diminished. I’ve decided to continue with my scribbling for a couple of reasons. The entire world is experiencing a form of social isolation. Any humor or insight I can lend to our shared house arrest for crimes we didn’t commit experience might be useful to someone.
The second reason is the same strategy a prisoner of war who scrapes a line on the wall uses to keep track of the days he’d spent as a captive. These posts are my lines on the wall.
Day one of week five of social distancing
Today was the same as yesterday, with one exception. The weather had improved enough for me to get in my walk. The wind died down, and the sky didn’t contain a single dark cloud. Someone collected all the aluminum cans out of the abandoned glass factory parking lot, which was an improvement.
They are talking about easing the sheltering in place policies to bring the country back to a new normal, whatever that means. My one fear is they will send everybody back to work early. It has to be done. We can’t continue with most of the nation shut down until they come up with a vaccine. It looks like Rooster and I will be stuck within the walls of our house a couple of weeks after the country goes back to work. We are old, and we have comorbidities.
Translated, this means we take medicine for high blood pressure, and I’m fighting diabetes. I don’t mind going by the guidelines, but when they finally let us off the chain, I’m going to make my escape. I don’t know what adventure I’ll be able to take, but I’m going to have a good one.
Day two of week five of social distancing
I’ve made Spaghetti for dinner three days in a row. I need to come up with something different for tomorrow. Oh, I got it. Why don’t I make another pot of chili? These seem to be our go-to meals. It stops us from making runs to the grocery store. I tell you when I get out of here, one of the first things I’m going to do is eat a meal made by someone else’s hands in a sit-down restaurant with nice tableware and glass plates. Forgive me. I forgot I was experiencing a dream from the pre-COVID-19 world. Rooster and my favorite spots won’t be in business when this is all over. They won’t let us out for a very long time anyway. The world outside our door is no longer safe for old people.
Day three of week five of social distancing
The first thing Rooster did this morning was tune into WWOZ, and we listened to New Orleans jazz. The music set the mood for a funky, sunshine day. We worked all morning on our separate projects. I did an amazing rewrite that made chapter ten of the book I’m editing so much better than it was before. I’m also trying to figure out which short story I want to rewrite. I’m thinking it’s going to be “The Mayors Got to Die.”
Rooster joined me on my walk this afternoon. My husband couldn’t resist the sunshine and warm temperatures. I walked past the bridge and went over the creek. The body of water would be considered a river in some parts of the country. Two geese were swimming in the creek without a care in the world about the virus. I almost made it to the graveyard I wrote about in The Night the Moon was Full before I turned back toward the abandoned glass factory parking lot.
Visting over the fence
The day was made to be spent outside. Rooster noticed the wind we’ve experienced recently blew off some of the trim of the house. My daughter and her husband stopped by to give us their opinion on how to fix the damage. We talked through the fence. I felt like Wilson on the TV show Home Improvement.
We’re listening to WWOZ’s tribute to the French Quarter Music Fest as we wait for the chili to cook. Maybe next year we’ll make it down to New Orleans. We’ve also taken on a new project. There is a bicycle built for two in our shed. After our walk today, Rooster got ambitious. He attempted to put air in one of the tandem bicycle tires. As soon as the innertube expanded, it exploded.
The noise it created sounded like a pistol being fired. I fed us dinner before we ventured out into the germ-infested world to purchase a tire for a bicycle. To make a long story short, the newly purchased tube leaked after Rooster filled it with air. Our quarantine routine won’t include a bicycle ride.
Day four of week five of social distancing
Rooster and I went to Pajama Church this morning. As soon as it was over, our New York City baby chick called. He’s helping me work on my website. I’m going to do an upgrade. I have to work on creating a brand, which is funny because I didn’t know I needed one. Isn’t that exciting. I’ve never been a brand before. Rooster joined me on my walk for the second day in a row. Walking together might start a new quarantine routine.
Later in the afternoon, we couldn’t resist temptation. Rooster pulled out the motorcycle, and we went for a ride. We had a little family drama when we got back. Isn’t it funny how one thing can ruin five perfect weeks of social distancing?
Day five of week five of social distancing.
I walked alone today. Rooster must have lost interest. After I got my steps in, we took a motorcycle ride. We cruised out to visit some friends who live in the country. We social distanced on their front porch. Lynn is a very creative person. She creates custom t-shirts and mugs with funny stuff she makes up to place on them. It was a fantastic visit, and we came home with our first COVID-19 face masks. We also received two more masks in the mail. We can now step out of the house wearing the latest COVID-19 fashion.
Day six of week five of social distancing
No matter how hard you try to distance yourself from life, it will intrude on your plans. People keep getting born, and they die. A friend of ours passed away, and this morning we attended his funeral. We didn’t participate in the actual service.
The family will take him to Kentucky for burial. Rooster and I were a part of the convoy riding him out of town. It’s a biker tradition to ride a fallen brother or sister to the graveyard. I noticed it was hard for people to grieve when they have to keep a distance. It’s hard to get closure without physical contact. Since the man wouldn’t be laid to rest at a local cemetery, it was decided to escort the Hurse into the next county.
At the funeral
Rooster and I were running late. We aren’t in the habit of grabbing a mask as we walk out the door. We left the ones Lynn gave to us behind in our rush to get to the funeral home. It was one of the most unusual going away events I’ve ever attended. The body was laid out in front of the doors of the establishment so people could say their last good-byes.
The entire event took place in the parking lot. There was no service. People wandered around, wearing face masks, and attempting to comfort the family. Rooster and I felt underdressed. We rode in the car, due to social distancing. The temperatures were cold, and riding in a pack seemed like it could lead to points of contact closer than six feet at times.
There were about ten people who decided to ride. One guy even showed up in his semi. There was a lot of elbow bumping with no one shaking hands. People climbed in their vehicles and waited for the procession to start. It was a sad twenty-mile trip down the highway before we turned around to come back home. Even though everyone attempted to be careful, I’m sure they stood too close to one another at times.
Day seven of week five of social distancing
The weather was good today, so we decided to divert from our normal quarantine routine. We made a date with my daughter and her husband to go to a local fast food drive-thru. According to the long lines, we weren’t the only people with the idea. We took our food to the park and enjoyed a meal together while at the same time social distancing.
They sat in the hatch of their vehicle. Rooster and I brought lawn chairs. The message on my fortune cookie told me I was with exceptional friends. I love it when I receive a positive message in a fortune cookie, which contains an element of truth. It was a great way to end our fifth week of social distancing. We still don’t show any signs of the virus. I’ve achieved seven more marks on my wall without experiencing death or illness. I call that a significant accomplishment.
Who Is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana, who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures click here.
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