Online at the Anchorage Costco/Craig Medred photo
Did you ever imagine how quickly, easily and by how much a primitive, microscope organism could change the very essence of everyday modern life?
Less than two months ago, most of us were making of 2020 what we made of 2019 and 2018 and most of the years before because that’s how humans stumble through life.
Then coronavirus Covid-19 led to what is now an estimated 2.6 billion people around the world in lockdown, put 22 million Americans out of work, and sent millions more home to figure out how to make their jobs function from a house.
Meanwhile, the global death toll grew. Many have now been touched by the almost 150,000 deaths worldwide, and many, many, many more have had their lives fundamentally altered on a day-to-day basis.
It’s sad and tragic and in some ways just plain weird.
Do you remember when you used to get up in the morning, get out of your pajamas and take a shower before turning on the computer?
And now:
- Do you remember when you last got out of your pajamas?
- Do you remember when you last washed your pajamas?
- Do you remember when car pooling was encouraged instead of discouraged?
- Do you remember when you last drove to work?
- Do you remember what you listened to on the radio on the drive?
- Do you remember the last time you went out for a drink with coworkers?
- Do you remember the last time you stopped at two beers because you had to drive home?
The once normal, daily routines that revolve around jobs that in significant part define the lives of people are now all shot to hell. But the changes only begin there.
- Do you remember when you only had to stand in line to get out of Costco?
- Do you remember when you were allowed to stand in line to get into a movie?
- Do you remember how funny Stephen Colbert was when he worked out of a studio?
- Do you remember when you could go into the supermarket without someone yelling, “Where is your damn mask?”
- Do you remember when you couldn’t go into the bank with a mask for fear someone would call the cops?
- Do you remember when clerks didn’t hide behind virus-proof glass?
- Do you remember how glass was once used to shelter food at something called a “buffet?”
- Do you remember the buffet?
- Do you remember how you used to hate going to visit hug-crazy Aunt Thelma?
- Do you even remember Aunt Thelma?
- Do you remember when neighbors approached you to talk instead of backed off to shout?
- Do you remember when it was OK to leave town?
- Do you remember when it was a bad thing to go hiking alone?
Most of all, do you remember when you weren’t wondering when the lockdown is going to end, or when the economy is going to collapse, or when the madness will be over?