Virus

Since childhood a virus was a cause for panic. The Virus that caused Polio was crippling and killing kids my age all over the country. This was the mid 1950s.

My mother was in charge of me and my three sisters to keep , dressed, fed, and safe from Polio. My dad was the provider of the money that provided clothes and the food. But he had no ability to provide a protection against Polio.

This greatly concerned both of them but they never let on the only warnings to us were to not get too tired. Tired kids were more susceptible to getting Polio as was often said.

We all escaped the deadly disease and made it into adulthood. But I certainly was tired as all the kids I knew played hard all day and fell asleep without any trouble.

Now, having passed through many viruses, both seasonal and the world wide kind, we again meet another one recently elevated to the rank of Pandemic.

Being a reader and now a “writer” you know that I’ve heard of pandemics before but this is the first one I’m really experiencing. I’ve learned that you must hoard certain items formerly found in abundance at the grocery store.

Bread: the once plentiful staple of most homes is only now catching up with demand. Gluten free be damned.

Canned goods, especially canned beans are in demand, now scarce, two to a customer.

And finally, the ultimate product that provides both social distancing and personal hygiene; toilet paper.

The hoarders have attached uncontrolled affinity to TP. The most sought after brand, I’m told, at first was Cottonelle. The reason, I am further told is that; it removes more. Yes, it says so right there on the package. But now it has much more value. Like Bitcoin it is a new currency. It’s value is more volitle than the Chinese Yuan.

Meanwhile the virus continues to create havoc around the world. I only know one person who has tested positive and she is suffering very badly. She says she will survive but pleads for all to stay home.

As a case of first impression nobody knew what to expect nor what to do about it. The world has declared “war” on this invisible enemy but the “fog of war” is ever present. It proves that “the future is not ours to see, Que Sera, Sera”.