I got to thinking during my and Harlow’s Stay Sane walk today. You know how you can be walking along somewhere and get a waft of cigarette smoke, or pot, or maybe baking bread, but you look around and can’t find the source?
What if the coronavirus is like that, except you cannot smell it? If it’s like that, this kind of makes you realize how the virus can linger in the air.
I will take this moment to remind myself that the CDC states that
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Phew. I feel slightly better. Sort of.
This morning I went to photograph the final service at Marsh Chapel on campus. Next week they will be broadcasting service only. The chapel encouraged people not to attend, but were open if people wanted to come. For this day only.
I met the preacher outside, and he stood pretty close to me as we talked into the chapel. Three feet maybe? I’ve been trying to keep six feet away from EVERYONE. How do you tell a preacher “BACK AWAY! YOU’RE TOO CLOSE!”? You can’t really. Well, you can it’s just…oh I need to be less nice next time.
As we entered the sanctuary, he turned to an employee and joked “The preacher must be terrible. No one came!” before heading to the pulpit.
I love that guy. Even though he stands too close.
At the end of my walk with Harlow, I said hello to the neighbor across the street. “How are you holding up?” I asked her.
I panicked inside as she began to cross the street to approach me. I let her know Harlow is not great on a leash, hoping she would keep a distance (maybe I should have loosened Harlow’s leash to create a bigger boundary, but I couldn’t be sure H wouldn’t start barking at her).
She probably stood about four feet away from me while she told me about how she was headed to a coworker’s funeral (unrelated to the virus and also, why is that still taking place?!). And how her brother was killed in a car accident two weeks ago.
I can understand not wanting to shout that information from across the street but still. Desperate times, neighbor.
Awful stuff. I did not feel comfortable saying “Sorry your brother died and that you’re going to a colleague’s funeral but I’m going to back three more feet away from you”
Here’s a clip from this morning’s service. Lovely singing.
BEAN'S BABBLETORIUM 