This morning I headed out on foot, my face wrapped in a scarf, careful not to have too much human contact. I had a bill to pay and no mail had been picked up at the house for two days. (Envelopes were still clipped to the box for send.) So I knew I had to walk to a box. Half the people I encountered were wearing some sort of face protection.
I walked into the closest grocery store where the employees were not wearing face protection last week. Today they were - but not the other customers. I grabbed a free sanitation wipe and walked out. I have another week of toilet paper. Enough shampoo and soap to last three. But I was wondering what was on the shelves.
One bar which is staying open because they are also a restaurant (though the emphasis had never been on the food) has a sign out on the street that says "Free Toilet Paper with Order." We think this is funny. Just how much TP do you get, say with a full $29.99 order of ham and cabbage? A couple weeks ago when the sign appeared I stuck my head in to ask about the price of the ham and cabbage and the bar was full of men drinking side by side - no masks. A bartender - no mask.
I have friends who are taking Coronavirus-19 so seriously that when their son in law brought groceries (and then declared he was not shopping for another two weeks) in plastic bags, they let those bags sit for a day, then donned gloves to remove cans and produce, threw the bags into recycling, and proceeded to scrub the cans till the labels wore off, afraid that some other knowingly or unknowingly sick person had touched them. Is this wise or paranoia?
If I'm not picky about what I eat - and certainly those who lived through The Great Depression could not be and are my inspiration - I can go a couple weeks without shopping myself. In order to keep my supply of dried beans and legumes and assorted canned goods and pastas interesting I've tried many new recipes. Meanwhile my friend's cupboard is slowly being depleted, as she home makes bread every other day, and there are things she and her husband simply refuse to eat.
Specifically they decided pigs were treated especially horribly and they had decided they would no longer eat pig (though they do eat lots of fish, some chicken and other meats.) I think this has more to do with the intelligence of pigs over that of fish and chicken. This morning this is what they talked about in front of me.
Her: "I have some bacon in the freezer - uncured - that's been there forever. I was thinking when I was studying Buddhism that it was OK to eat whatever someone else presented to you. Do you think it would be OK to put some of that bacon in soup?
Me: "I was thinking of making green pea soup. I've never liked the flavor of green peas - I prefer the yellow - but most recipes for green pea soup suggest ham. What about bacon?
She: "I won't eat ham."
He: Shakes his head yes. (In agreement of one of us?)
Me: Probably that Buddhist thing started in cultures where it was considered rude to refuse any food offered as a guest. I was wondering if you wanted me to offer you this bacon? If you won't eat it, I suggest the dogs would love it.
She: "If it's OK with you, I will use the bacon."
He "OK."
Seeing how this was going, I wondered about the Grab and Go food give out at a school close by. I went there to talk to them after noticing the web site that was looking for volunteers through the Red Cross. The web site said that a person had to apply to volunteer (unpaid work) and had to repeatedly lift 20 to 50 pounds and prove they are Coronavirus immune. Are they joking? (Do they have workers compensation insurance? Where are the Coronavirus immunity tests? Will they also want a volunteer to donate blood?) The Red Cross and Los Angeles Unified School District are paying for this food and one can take up to two bags a day per child. I decided to go talk to them. I don't want to commute to volunteer.
None of the present volunteers, though six or more feet away from the table with the plastic bags of food, were wearing masks. None of them knew about the Red Cross providing funding. None of them were volunteers though the Red Cross - though they did know there was a need for more volunteers. I and my dog stood aways and watched as one expensive SUV after another - with no children inside the vehicle - drove up and took food. Shit.
But I thought about my friends who were going to use the long frozen bacon though they don't want to eat pig. And on YouTube there's a YouTube video about Grab and Go from LA Unified which says that one third of the recipients are NOT students. Would my friends be willing to eat food from Grab and Go? I looked through the plastic and though there was some cartoned milk and fresh fruit there were also white bread rolls and well - food that is not very nutritious. I myself would eat this food rather than suffer hunger pains if need be.
Meanwhile fresh produce - good for you fruits and veggies - are going unsold and rotting according to the local news.
So I called the local Senior Center to find out if there were any food banks open and when. No answer. No call back.
People will eat People in some circumstances.
Some people (including me) will die before they eat people, but I say that sane.
I have not had the experience of starvation to know.
After this Pandemic I predict:
People will forget they can stand closer and continue to SHOUT AT EACH OTHER.
Sex is going to be more complicated than ever.
People will go to their hairdressers and dog groomers in droves.
People will realize they can live without wearing lipstick, but will want to wear it more than ever.
People may not want to wear scarves or facemasks though new Coronavirus-19 fashion trends have us looking like bank robbers, doctors, and Muslims, but they'll keep one with them anyway, just in case.
People will have learned that soap doesn't work instantly like they used to think and will persist in the thorough 20 seconds or more of washing. But they will never enjoy songs like Happy Birthday like they used to.
Buses will provide sanitary hand wipes just like grocery stores.
Paper bags will be back, the hell with plastic. But what about the doggie poo?
Lots of people are going to realize they prefer to telecommute or homeschool. But not if they live in apartments.
If it goes on for months: More divorces.
C Christine Trzyna 2020 All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights.
