OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED

The world really has changed!  I don’t think it will ever be normal again. I wonder what life will be like for my children and grandchildren as they get older.  Do you? If you would have told me that I would go into a bank with a mask on, I would have laughed at you.  If you had told me that I would have had a telemed visit with my doctor, I would have suggested that you stop smoking weed and drinking alcohol.  It all seems like a bad dream.  Obviously, it’s not.

I live in a new community in North Carolina.  Everyone on my street is new to the area.  Some wear masks, most practice social distancing.  Getting to know your neighbors under the present Covid rules of engagement is not easy.  We meet in the street as we go for our daily walks.  We talk about getting together but getting together is potentially risky. Nobody suggests that we come to their place for a getting to know you party. 

I’ve decided to have a driveway cocktail hour once a week.  I got the idea from my cousin Bruce’s Facebook page.  Bruce and Judy live in Florida and often post pictures of their neighborhood get togethers.  Each couple sits in their own yard and maintains a yard’s distance from their neighbor while trying to be social.  Where I live, we really don’t have backyards, so we’ll sit in our driveways and try to be social.

However, gone are the days when we would go over to a neighbor’s house for cocktails, appetizers and fun.  Gone is the handshake or hug between good friends.  Playing bridge or Rummy Q sitting 6 feet apart is not going to be easy.  As for wife swapping, that’s the same!  Never have, never will!

We will survive these changes.  We are old and have our memories of pre-Covid days.  What will it be like for our off springs?  They had already started to disengage socially.  They already preferred texting over talking.  They already are used to playing games with their friends over the internet.

Pre-Covid, Renee and I were in Sullivan’s, a ritzy restaurant in Illinois. Sitting across from us were four thirtyish individuals who texted each other through the entire meal.  I swear, I never heard them talk once.

I’m afraid Covid is the nail in society’s coffin.  I’m afraid my progeny will find themselves sitting in a sterile capsule, married to the internet and internet relationships, all the while thinking that it is normal.  Actually, I’m afraid that it will be normal for them.  I don’t want to imagine a world without human touch or one where a total body condom is the rage.  It’s just too sad.

I know, there will be a vaccine.  Will I take the vaccine?  I won’t know until I see more information about it.  If it truly is rushed to the market and shows up this year, I doubt there will be enough safety information to make me want to try it.  I’ll probably wait until a million have been given.  Regardless of the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine, the changes we are experiencing are probably permanent.

While Pandemics are rare, the fear of Pandemics, let’s call it Pandemania, will probably persist.  Working from home and living on Facebook and Zoom just is not healthy; yet, appears to be the way of the future.  At first, I was torn over the issue of sending kids back to school.  Part of me sided with the argument that kids need socialization along with their education.  The other part of me worries about the potential of Covid to do both immediate and long-term damage to the body. While socialization is crucial to development, the move towards internet socialization and texting was firmly entrenched in society pre-Covid. 

I’m glad I don’t have young children to make decisions for.  Unfortunately, there are no universal right and wrong answers.  As for Renee and I, we will continue to live in isolation, having wild parties for two on our driveway and going crazy locked in our house 22 hours a day.  She really does love me, so she puts up with my chasing her from room to room.  On occasion, I text her even though she is sitting next to me.  I confess, I don’t see why the kids love texting.  It’s awfully hard to be nibbling on her ear while I’m texting her, “do you want to make love?”  

Today’s take away is that life, as we knew it, has changed rapidly since March, and all we can do is try to adapt and stay alive.  Since there are no right and wrong answers, I’m going to stop worrying about the future and just worry about what I’m going to do once I finally corner Renee!  She’ll probably have a different idea.

Here’s your music and a joke.

The elderly Italian man went to his parish priest and asked if the priest would hear his confession. “Of course, my son,” said the priest. “Well, Father, at the beginning of World War Two, a beautiful woman knocked on my door and asked me to hide her from the Germans; I hid her in my attic, and they never found her.” “That’s a wonderful thing, my son, and nothing that you need to confess,” said the priest. “It’s worse, Father; I was weak, and told her that she had to pay for rent of the attic with her sexual favors,” continued the old man. “Well, it was a very difficult time, and you took a large risk -you would have suffered terribly at their hands if the Germans had found you hiding her; I know that God, in his wisdom and mercy, will balance the good and the evil, and judge you kindly,” said the priest. “Thanks, Father,” said the old man. “That’s a load off of my mind. Can I ask another question?” “Of course, my son,” said the priest. The old man asked, “Do I need to tell her that the war is over?”.