Coronavirus - The Longing

Today, I find myself thinking about how simpler things were in the pre-coronavirus world. I'm wondering how long, if ever, we can get back to any inkling of normalcy.  Although I have been able to venture out into society for work-related and personal reasons, it's still far from business as usual.

Under normal circumstances, yesterday would have been the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. Although I'm not a huge horse racing enthusiast, I do look forward to the watching the Preakness each year. Tina & I started a tradition several years ago of heading to the nearby Two Rivers Steakhouse and watching the race over dinner and few drinks. But this year's dinner date will be delayed until at least October.

So many other things have been put on the shelf due to the COVID outbreak. And as depressing as it can be, for sanity's sake, you have to look forward to better times....

I long for a day when I grab a beer at a local bar/restaurant and engage in spontaneous conversations with random strangers.

I long for a day when I can venture into the Home Depot and not have people react to me as if I were a venomous snake.

I long for a day when I can enter a Safeway and stroll in either direction down a fully-stocked toilet paper aisle.

I long for a day when we can get together for a large family cookout and not have to worry about infecting one another by exchanging corn-hole bags.

I long for a day when I can sit in a crowded baseball stadium and buy an overpriced beer and hot dog. And I want to rub elbows with the person next to me and exchange Oriole stories.

I long for a day when I can take my grand-kids to the local Burger King for Kid's Meals and video games.

I long for a day when I can get back to sitting in 495 traffic on my ride home from Bethesda. OK, I'll take that one back. The free-flowing roads are something that I'm actually enjoying during all of this.

I long for a day when I can have a lengthy, animated conversation with my barber. I haven't went this long without a haircut since I was a teenager. If my hair gets any longer, I'm going to re-string my old guitar and try to join a band.

Speaking of which, I long for a day when I can go see a band. I want to stand on the crowded floor and feel the music with the masses.

I long for a day when my trivia team can sit in the same room and bust Ray's balls about asking bullshit questions.

I long for a day when I can toss my face mask and have good old-fashioned conversations with people.

And lastly, I long for a day when social distancing is a distant memory....

Our society is making slow strides to move beyond all of this. Hopefully, one day soon, this will all be behind us. Until then, take care of each other and be safe....

kw