the epidemic

Washing hotel patrons' loose change

The first ticklings of the current Coronavirus-19 epidemic that has frightened and paralyzed much of the world, was first noticed, as I get it, in late December of 2019 in Wuhan, China. It has since spread to ... well, to damn near everywhere. The spread of the disease halted much of whatever giggling was going on in the beamer and baubles crowd and anyone else who might have taken notice.

Somewhat to my surprise, the end-of-the-world, God'll-get-you-for-that constituency has remained relatively silent. In fact, although there may be prayers galore from those inclined to pray, it seems not to have affected or afflicted the mainstream ... yet. Maybe these people are saving up their toldjaso's for another time.

Donald Trump, the liar in chief of the most powerful nation on earth, must be miffed as a wet cat that he can't buy his way out of this one. As president, he is tits on a bull as the election rush of 2020 segues into background noise. He is not a leader and is not a consequential informer. Mostly, if I get it right, he is ignored in favor of scientists who seem to know which way is "up." People are frightened ... no proximity with those whose proximity is longed for; not enough equipment for those who desperately need equipment; patients clogging hospital hallways; deaths mounting among those -- especially the elderly -- with underlying heart and lung conditions.

During WWI, I believe I read, more American soldiers crammed into troop ships and bound for Europe were killed by the "Spanish flu" than died on any subsequent battlefield and the leaders of the U.S. knew it was happening. Proximity then like proximity now ... oy vey.

My younger son returned from his job as a hospital security guard last night to announce he had come into contact with someone who was infected. I am not worried. When you think of the number of transmitters available (think money, for example), is there really an opposite to "proximate?"

Were the upscale hotels prescient or priggish when they washed patrons' loose change?

PS. it's March 27, 2020. Green is beginning to warm the trees on this spring-like day. There has been exactly one snow storm of any consequence this year.