Living in coronavirusworld 32: A much needed breath

4/24

Emergency

My walk today was framed by emergency vehicles.  As I walked down 114th, three police emergency vehicles filled the streets, emergency police entering a building.

Police responders

On my return, a fire department ambulance was on the street.

The United States has now lost more people to the coronavirus than any other country in the world. We’re number 1!  Nearing the death total for the Vietnam War.  Will their names be inscribed on a memorial inWashington.DC? After all, the President says he is a war time President. Will we honor the dead from this war? Casualties of our hubris? Incapacity to act or plan?   Meanwhile, the President’s comments grow more and more bizarre recommending sunlight and mainlining disinfectant cleaning products to kill the virus “in a minute..” And  no it was not sarcasm… Georgia wants to reopen barber shops  and beauty salons with social distancing. Chaotic patchwork reopening plans sprout around the country while crowds backed by the conservative evangelical money of the Prince and De Vos families, stirred up by the President, cry for liberty. Unlike Patrick Henry, this cry amounts to Give me liberty and give me death….and maybe yours too…. And over 400 a day continue to die in New York. Someone pointed out how after 9-11, the whole country joined in solidarity with New York.  Emergency workers drove all night for Kansas to help. One night while I was volunteering,  some guys from Louisiana showed up with  a truck load of  fresh jambalaya and xydeco.  Today it’s like everyone for themselves and screw you. Our social coherence has been deteriorated. 

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  I am talking via FaceTime with my friend, a Sardo Italiano.  First, he talks about how much more restrictive Italy’s quarantine  has been compared to ours. You need a specific written excuse to leave your home. You can only go 200 meters, etc. But then we talk about how nature, despite all our abuse, failure to care for the environment and unchecked consumption, has amazing resilience In less than two months, remarkable changes have taken place already. In India, people can see the Himalayas on the horizon for the first time in decades. Bird songs fill the air in Central Park. We begin to see it is possible to reverse the damage, bit by bit. Or maybe the lesson is nature will still be here when we have passed on. We’re giving the earth a chance to take a much needed breath.

We talk about what we build into each day to maintain our dignity, our sanity. Simple routines, like our walks. Our showers. Shaving (for Beppe). Cooking. I continue to recreate meals from my childhood as a way of comfort. Today I’m cooking a chili to serve over spaghetti. It’s a Cincinnati style, but also reminds me of Ike’s Chili Parlor in Tulsa. The idea of chili over spaghetti seemed, well, just wrong, when I first arrived there, but I learned to love it. 

On 111th Street, someone has placed a Christmas manger scene on a ledge above the recycling and garbage bins.  Homeless family, probably illegal. No masks….

111th Street

Once again, I host the West Park (virtual) Open Mic. Once again we have guests from Kazakhstan, where it is daybreak, joining us. Kosi joins us from Baltimore, I open with Lonely Hearts …or a sign that we all shall soon be released… Tony Charms dedicates Amazing Grace to all our essential workers and first responders…We sing, we visit. We complain. We laugh. We take turns until we are sung out.

Open Mic

Another day in coronavirusworld.