Day Three: Store Visit

Day Three

Life in the light of the Corona Virus

Walking again. This time to the neighborhood health food store. The streets are deserted. A few people are out to get coffee. Take out only, no sitting around talking and visiting. Social Distancing means no companionship? Conversation forbidden unless you are 6 feet apart, there are less than two of you (is that possible?) and wearing a mask! Boy does that sound inviting. The counter attendant makes customers use had sanitizer before giving them money or taking a cup and self-serving coffee? The customer is no longer right…. they are now a threat to life itself! Getting together for coffee is no longer a cause for social interaction. Take your coffee and leave! By order of the state, the county and the federal government! I guess it is way better than dying! Question: Is that on a sliding scale?

Browsing in a grocery/souvenir store, the clerk is wondering aloud if he can handle two weeks at home with his wife. And two kids? Its questionable even to him. With no money coming in, it does not sound like much of a vacation. Married people and families have company during isolation, but that is not always viewed as a good thing. Will there be an unintentional baby boom? Like when NY had a power outage? Could happen. Will that be good? Will it be accidental? Or intentional? An existential question to be answered somewhere down the road.

We are lucky we live in Hawaii. It is sunny. The ocean is here. Trails and mountains are here. But here is the thorn in the rose bush, the tourists are not here. So while there is less traffic and the beaches and trails are empty, so are the hotels and B and B;s and condos. Personally I have had cancellations and been told that weddings are not happening, and vacations that were saved for are not happening, and anniversaries are not happening—at least the celebrations of anniversaries. This is life changing. And economy affecting! Each one of those things represents a lot. A lot of money. A lot of jobs. A lot of wishes and dreams and expectations and promises, and the list goes on.

This morning I learned that three big hotels in our small town have been closed or plan to close. More jobs on hold. Less money in the community. More restaurant and service workers laid off. The hotels are saying they will be closed for two weeks at least. Maybe for a month! That means hundreds and hundreds of people without work. People bored and restless and contentious? Of course, lives will be saved, and illness prevented and healthcare workers experiencing less stress. Who can blame the tourists for not coming? The activities, except the beaches, are all closed. Upon arrival on the islands, they face a two-week quarantine. Where? How? And let me ask you, whose vacation can absorb those two weeks? Many people only have a week vacation. So why come here and sit in your room (if you have one) for a week?

As I walk, I notice people working in their yards! They must be bored! And painting their houses by hand? And while I can’t see it, they are reading, and pursuing their hobbies, and keeping in touch with family and friends via the internet? And doing whatever they can to keep from slitting their own throats or the throats of their housemates!

All good?!

In the back of my head I hear a song…”Stayin’alive, stayin’alive”