I’m not an expert at the topic of the corona virus and it’s expansion throughout the Country. I was an EMT as a Fire Chief and have a very good handle on dealing with protecting my Firefighters/ Paramedics. I was going to write about telling you all about how to protect yourself as a Vandweller, but I’m not. There is enough information out there with more information than my offerings.
I can say that I’ve been playing it safe by a great deal of social isolation. With a couple like minded friends, who practice the same protection from exposure and love spending their time outdoors.
What I want to convey is as you isolate as much as you can, don’t forget our humanity in all this. We still need each other. We are social beings.
Here is why this is important.
I too have to go get groceries so I went to this small town grocery store to buy a few things. Here I am worrying about the surface of everything I’m buying may be contaminated. I use credit card that requires stylus I have to touch, that others have used before me. These thoughts are rattling in my head as pick up items in the store and I approach checkout.
The woman who is checking me out is probably 50 something and is so nice and thoughtful about everything that is going on, I offered to bag my purchases.
The plastic bag sides are stuck and I can’t get it to open. I will not wet my fingers with my tongue as I’ve touched all those things that were in the shelves. The clerk sees me not being able to open the plastic bag and looks at me and says I don’t wet my fingers either. We both smiled and she tossed the bag to the floor I n frustration, finally getting the bags on the rack to start self opening.
I continued to bag and she finished up with my order. The line of people in checkout diminished, with the guy with one item behind me moving to the other clerk. After putting my full grocery bags in the cart, I started to push my cart away from the counter, and the woman asks if I could stay a few minutes to talk to her.
I was surprised and my mind was telling me you need to get outside, sanitize my hands and then get back to camp, and finally individually sanitize each item before stocking my camper. I was totally preoccupied mentally when she asked.
I think I paused a bit long before answering her request and I felt bad. I moved back to the counter and engaged her in conversation for a few minutes before the next customer came to the checkout. She asked about me and where I was from. I know what I wear doesn’t look local.
I feel bad since this happened. I knew right then and there that how I treat others is reprentative of who I am. I know I can multiplex and accomplish both sanitize a bit later and engage others, but I was too wrapped up in the everyday reports from the government and others that I lost my perspective. It was only after I was outside the store did I realize I still failed my humanity in going back to talk to the clerk. I had only answered her questions. I never asked her any. I’m sure she would have loved to have someone show some interest in her as a person. She wasn’t standing outside like someone with polling questions. She wanted human contact and I failed twice.
Over my working years I have generally had an all business approach to things and only people that were close to me see saw the minor side of my humanity.
After retiring and going on the road with my travels, I have worked to improve my humanity side as my need to jump into action as Fire Chief is now the distant past.
Many people that can least afford it will be hurt by the spread of the corona virus and the subsequent economic downturn.
Each of us have a choice going forward into this new reality. We can worry about self and family, but like me I bet you can take a couple minutes to look at the human aspect of all this. I see the Italians quarantined singing in unison from their balconies in solidarity. They saw the need too.
Just don’t forget people will be out of work because of this. The government can’t fill all the needs. What we do and how we treat others will be remembered after this is over.
Stay safe during these unprecedented times and remember we all will need others, and one day it may be you. We all matter.
Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com
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