Diary with an underlying condition 2

A kite is stuck in a tree, swaying gently with the breeze. The tree is adjacent to a block of flats, maybe they tried flying it from a window, to keep their spirits up inside.

‘Let’s stay in and fly a kite

Up to a branch that’s high’

I have never flown a kite. Never had a real one. Made one myself when I was about 12, but it wouldn’t take off. Not quite sure why, perhaps because it weighed a metric tonne. I have never flown a kite – so far! But I keep my eyes on the lightly sloping hill outside our window. That looks like the perfect place.

Increasingly often a sense of helplessness descends on me. It’s not just me though, I guess we all are. We are so powerless, with all our advanced technology and accumulated wisdom, standing on the shoulders of giants and still the only thing we are able to do is a thousand years old trick to try and stem the spread of the disease. Globally speaking we haven’t had a comparable situation for 70 years and politicians everywhere, the so-called leaders have grown used to getting away with excuses. But this pesky issue won’t go away with demagogy, so we all suffer. For years I was cynical about the state of the political environment so it’s not a revelation that they fail miserably but that doesn’t make it any better. Some leaders irrationally downplayed this, then declared it will end soon. Now more and more officials concede that this will take a few months, maybe more to reign in.  I’m cautiously optimistic though, as I believe that the search for a vaccine or an antidote or just a better way of managing this crisis will increase thousandfold. Just like the weapon advancement in the Second World War. Don’t get me wrong, I do not consider that our ongoing plight is like that at all. It is a grave situation, the most serious since then but you can feel safe if you stay at home and we all have the semblance of control and continuity in our lives.  This situation is infinitely better than an all-out war.

And more and more individuals are bringing their minds to it. No bullshit, no-nonsense people. Focused on finding a solution, working shoulder to shoulder with others all over the world. Erm, scratch that. They working shoulder-two meter-shoulder. With no hidden agendas, only concentrating on solving the issue at hand.

And another significant consideration: the red tapes are gone. The red tapes that were put there by individuals whose only skill is designing red tapes, deploying them, justifying them and replacing them with better ones in an eternal loop. You know the type, always prone to making dramatic statements without really stating anything.

And many of the problem solvers are coming from diverse fields, so they don’t even know about the red tapes that held back many an able individual.

So, the humanist in me is optimistic while my pessimist side is out for lunch. (he won’t find anything to eat)

An imminent pandemic of this magnitude was accepted for decades. The proverbial “not if but when” was tossed around a lot, even in scientific circles. Whoever spoke about it in the media though was labeled a lunatic, a fear monger or just naive. Now they might come forward to accept their prophet mantle. And I presume, still lurking in the shadows, alien invasion believers are warming up for their anointment as soothsayers with the landing of giant spacecrafts imminent. Surely extraterrestrials will reveal themselves in a decade or two, they must fancy our wonderful planet, molten core as fuel or our bodies as fodder or something else as sinister. And we’ll probably be just as helpless as we are against this virus, not even Jeff Goldblum or Robert Downey Jr will be able to deliver us. Wouldn’t it be a bummer though if they come next week? Two disasters for the price of one. Could we defer the invasion for next year? There is a gap between the European Football Cup and the Olympics. Come to think of it, if they were to arrive now they might leave straight away. Seeing the deserted streets they will inevitably assume a rival gang of aliens already had their way with our world. 

Some people advised me that London during this pandemic feels safer. Crime wise. That made me wonder: do we have ethical, honorable criminals in the 21st century? Let’s prey on the meek, the feeble all the time, take advantage of people’s naivety whenever you can. Except during a pandemic. That is a no-no, will have to self isolate and queue up in front of shops like everybody else. I suggested this made me wonder but that is an overstatement. It actually made me chuckle. Yeah, right! I mean, even the kite is gone from the tree.

Though I would like to see a pickpocket at work from a 6 feet social distance.

Three-quarters of the world’s schools are out, “I told you so” I hear Alice Cooper shouting. A quarter of the world under some sort of lockdown, nearly the whole world is engaging the same microscopical creature but still, we focus on our differences. Still name-calling, finger-pointing, chest banging.

 A former Justice of the supreme court said: “The tradition of policing in this country is that policemen are citizens in uniform, they are not members of a disciplined hierarchy operating just at the government’s command.”

So many elements of this statement are wrong.

First of all many other countries have, or at least claim to have a cordial police. This sort of chest banging can and will only breed discord. Any individual banging his chest about his awesomeness is pointing the finger with their other hand at someone who is not as magnificent as them.

And the police are not at the command of the government. If they were they would be applying the current rules consistently. But they are not, because the local guv’nors have separate agendas. London’s mayor has a long-running power struggle with the PM, (his predecessor as mayor), but in these desperate times, there is too much collateral damage to their bickering. The mayor is looking after TfL’s (Transport for London) financial interests, so he only wants health service workers on the tube. To this purpose, I just heard an announcement on the radio, that articulated unequivocally that only NHS workers are allowed. I’m at work now and I don’t know if I can get home tonight. The government, on the other hand, wants everybody who can’t work from home but still has a job to go in and work. Seems to me that the masses are treating this as a slightly unpleasant holiday, an opportunity to catch up on your favorite shows while still getting paid. But in the long run, this will have catastrophic economic consequences that will dwarf the actual damage done by the virus. So yes, if there is an actual job to be done that demands some travel that should be done. Yesterday I praised the individual contribution to the fight against the virus, vaccine, testing, antidote whatnot. I might have had a rant about red tape too 🙂 That was the positive effect. The ambiguity of the current police response is the negative example of individuals having too much authority. Every mayor or every local police chief is interpreting the present guidelines through their personal prism. And there is simply no margin for that.

Madness seems to advance faster than the virus. Disproportionate measures all over the world, with gaping holes in the logic that seems to dictate it. The number of casualties is shocking, the number of unemployed is terrifying. Occasionally I feel that the only explanation of this universal frenzy is the ”indebt the global population for a lifetime” operation. Regardless of what will be the outcome of the health situation, life as we know it is over. A global recession will follow that will humiliate the Great Depression of the 1930s. For the next decade, this will facilitate the governments to get away with murder in the name of either fixing the damage generated by this epidemic or bracing for the next. Will have to play Monopoly without the Get Out of Jail Free cards as those will all be with the authorities. Their ratings are already soaring and we just started. I’m sure conspiracy theorists won’t find it hard to rack up some evidence for this.

Are you afraid? Yeah, me neither.

Looks like April Fool’s Day is the latest casualty of the virus.  It was postponed to 1st December. Honestly! J Only the US is going ahead with it, just heard in the news that gun stores are deemed essential services and will be kept open through the lockdown. Surely this is a prank. Erm, what’s the word… Uh, right. Fake news! I mean, must be, no? Or they took the war on virus literally? Come out all guns blazing, all gung ho to decimate the virus? With good ole fashioned bullets? Nah, definitely an April Fool’s Day joke. And a bad one too.

I hear it popping up from every socially isolated nook and cranny how people miss things they never even thought about BC (Before Coronavirus) Queuing up in the pub, hangover breakfast to evaluate the damage, tapping a long lost friend on the back or just knowing what day it is. Naturally, this lamenting is followed by solemn vows: never take this or that for granted. With all the turmoil and grief we have and with all the difficulties sure to come keeping these oaths would provide at least a tiny positive undertone for this ghastly era Unfortunately this won’t happen and all the vows not to take anything for granted will be forgotten in a week. I take that for granted.

I reckon there should be a comprehensive agreement between nature and humans that the next global virus should have a telltale sign in every affected person. I don’t care what it is, a red carbuncle on the nose, ears turning orange, growing a sixth digit on a hand, anything that would make it clear who’s got it and who doesn’t.  Do you concur?

The authorities are lamenting about a few individuals being spotted out and about without an acceptable reason. Also, complain about a global scarcity of ventilators or adequate protective equipment or testing kit reagents. They shouldn’t. Manage these shortages the best they can but at least the measures they can introduce shouldn’t be half-arsed. The UK government is clearly copying other countries. Boris Johnson’s government started on a different path in the beginning. A stubborn route and they realized their error too late and thousands of people paid for it with their lives already.  Since then they keep repeating that they were and are adhering to scientific advice. Meaning: the population can’t comprehend what they are doing because the people don’t have access to this top-secret advice and they are stupid anyway. But in fact, the UK government is copying other countries and is coming out with half baked solutions. They come out with a plan and they tout this as full proof. The answer to all the questions, a cure for every complaint. Then the press and the social media will point out the loopholes in it so the government corrects those the next day. But this correction is deficient too so they have to revamp it again and again. Every glorious solution turns out to be just a deeper and deeper hole. And still, try to get away with a little help from their old friend, demagogy.

It’s like an apprentice serving the soup of the day to a chef and the chef points out that it’s just hot water. The next day the hot water will have one vegetable in it, then a day later two, then some seasoning and so on but in the meantime, people waiting for the soup are starving.

I understand that this can’t be solved overnight, but at least they should go for every marginal gain they can. Advising frequent hand washing is good. Try to avoid touching your face isn’t bad either. But nobody mentions avoiding touching anything while out. Don’t touch anything that isn’t essential. I watch people sit in the trains and casually hold on to the seat separators, or grabbing every vertical handrail on the tube while getting on and off. The train is not moving, no need to hold on.

No need to slide your hand casually on the handrail, or tap your fingers on the escalator’s handrail to the tune of “Rule Britannia”. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not the song choice that I object to.

The message at every travel card reader is “touch here”, but you don’t actually have to touch it. It works from an inch or so. So the message should be changed to “hover here”.

The government’s acceptance rating shows that the population is increasingly relying on them for guidance. So they should step up to the task or step down.

Last week I mentioned in my diary that the UK government would like to have a get out of jail free card by testing the population for antibodies to see if they’ve done the job themselves and already went through the sickness without even realizing it. It seems I was right and they seem to be coming round to the importance of wearing masks too. Shame it takes them s long though.

The time is 1:11. Looks like a monster clawed at the dial. Maybe it’s the same beast that cut me in half. Felt like I was asleep, dreaming, but also watching myself sleep from the outside.

I guess that for some people there are three stages of sleep and not the normal two. There is the non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and rapid eye-rolling (DREAD) sleep.

Just occurred to me all announcements should be made in the Alvin the chipmunk voice, people would listen more. Have to run this by the government in the morning. Yawn. 

I work in logistics and we have a lot of issues with global shipping due to the diminished air services. So last night I built a deep seaport in my basement. It was fitted with the latest technology, super cranes, automated lorries and whatnot. It was connected to the Thames with an underground channel. It caused a big stir at work, some people embraced it while others were against it, arguing that running this port from my basement would give me too much control over the company. Which is foolish, I don’t even have a basement.

A week after being challenged by police they stop me again. Last time they claimed that I need to get a certificate from work that I am critical, essential, consequential, whatnot. Sequential. I did ask for that certificate, it’s in my bag. They ask me again where am I going. I’m going to work. Are you essential? Yes, I’m quintessential. Do you have a document from work? No, I don’t. OK, get one as without that we can’t let you in. Next time. But now you can go. And they let me pass, again. If you’re going to a show, they ask you for tickets. If you don’t have them you won’t get in. That’s because tickets actually mean something. But here every police officer just makes up its mind on the go.

More and more individuals are wearing face masks. Which, as I argued last week, is a good thing. Sadly, most people choose a devil-may-care style and wear the masks casually dangling by their neck. How much is that worth I wonder?

I was told today that as soon as the lockdown is lifted most people will go on holiday, so that will save the economy in an instant. I strongly doubt it as when this is over a trip to the local pub will feel like a weekend in Magaluf. The park will be a safari and the dried up stream will be the Grand Canyon. The fire hydrant two streets down will be the Trevi fountain. Queuing up in a supermarket will feel like Disneyland. Well, this part is actually true, word for word, but you know what I mean.

I just received a letter through the post. Apparently is from Boris, explaining the risks and providing advice or something along those lines. I’m not going to open it just yet, he has tested positive, who licked the envelopes?

A really good friend of ours welcomed a baby boy in her life today. We are expecting our daughter in about eight weeks. The corona babies are coming. This virus will affect at least the first decade of their lives. But we’ll be there to help them. And they will have a middle finger on both hands. Life finds a way.

Looks that the longer this lockdown goes on the less patient people are. And it’s been only a couple weeks so far. Seems a lot longer for those cooped up at home, their day a long string of much the same and it’s not fragmented by the usual dividers. The queue at a coffee shop. Catching up at the water cooler. Second breakfast break. Watching funny videos. Lunch break. A short stroll in the park. Doing a bit of work. Catching up at the water cooler(reprise). And it’s not framed by the commute to and from work. No, this life is a monotone toil for the million new found home workers. Some might have a water cooler at home, but it doesn’t talk back. Funny videos are not fun alone. Work is even more boring than in the office. And time stands still. It’s all because of that Einstein fellow. Before him, time would pass the same way no matter the activity. He had to destroy it all. For some special relatives of his or what. And the longer this goes on the shorter the fuse gets. Soon there might be an unexplained water shortage. Or maybe a power cut. Only a handful of individuals would turn to books or classic guitars.  Some optimists might watch TV by candlelight, but most people will be out. Rioting. Anything to break this ennui.

What can I say. It’s tough not to be a scaremonger these days.

All over the world, sports events are being deferred. Some are canceled outright, but most of them are only postponed, Indefinitely. Presumably in the hope of a miracle. But they should search for solutions to make them happen, taking into consideration our new found way of life.

Let’s take football for example. I realize that the fans are an integral part of the game, but going out is an intrinsic part of life too, and we’re surviving without that right now. And we know that games without fans can be organized. We also know that for every fan at a game there are dozens watching from home. I’m not pleading for the restart of the football season because I’m a fan. I’m not. But I know that billions are and this will bring some much-needed variety in their life. But, to be honest I don’t care about that either. There is a lot of money involved in football, tv deals, betting firms, kit manufacturers and so on. And where there is a lot of money there are a lot of people. If the season were to resume, some people in the betting industry might keep their jobs. Same with tv networks who are already letting people go in droves. I heard football players complain that they are not guinea pigs. They are certainly not, but the millions of essential workers still out and doing their work aren’t either. And the season should resume in the safest possible form. Get together the two teams, plus about a hundred or so people needed to be on-site in the stadium to make a game happen and test them all for the virus. If none of them have it then they might even have an orgy and still be safe. Well, safe from coronavirus, not STDs. Then it’s game on, and a bit of joy for the fans at home and a modest boost for the economy.

Every sport, every branch of industry, every segment of life in 2020 should be analyzed this way and solutions should be identified to move this stagnation forward. Not easy I hear you say. No, it’s not. Or you meant not as easy as… As what? As displaying fake grief at 5 every afternoon? Or blaming everybody else for this plight? As complaining, finger-pointing?

The present situation can’t be solved with a mighty sweep. Building a wall is pointless. Putting a slogan on a bus won’t help. Denying reality as fear campaign or fake news is futile. So every insignificant little measure that moves us forward should be done. Because that is the way forward. Baby steps they call it. Take this awful big block of crap and scrape away. Every shrapnel removed is a minor victory. I can’t emphasize the notion of marginal gains enough. And if governments are not doing it we have to do it ourselves. Every minor change we can do will help. Fighting the virus must come first, but keeping the economy alive must be a very close second. 

This week the train at a London interchange station stuck around for the passengers from the other platform to get over and board. Antibody tests are looked at as an exit strategy. Masks seem to be recognized as a useful tool against the spread of the virus. I mentioned all of these things in my diary published last week. Seeing that I have no readers I must conclude that common sense seems to be taking over more and more.

Just heard the news, Boris Johnson was taken to hospital tonight. Naturally, they say it’s nothing serious, only precautionary. But I thought precautionary cases are not taken to hospitals nowadays. Every minor checkup was postponed.  And with the lack of testing and protective equipment, it seems that hospitals are the most dangerous places these days.

Obviously they wouldn’t say if it was serious. Somebody as power-hungry as him will never renounce his position. Last week he boasted that he was the first premier to chair a virtual government meeting, in a week or two he might be the first to chair one form the grave. To be fair, we do live in grave times.

What is a pesky virus with a negligible fatality rate compared to the toiling, lying, maneuvering, misleading he had to do to get this far. And after all, he’s only looking out for us, not for himself.

The diary continues here.

Since I can’t compel you to stay as there are laws against it why don’t you do it on your own? Stick around and read more of my short stories. All of them are amazing. Well, most of them are. OK, honestly, some of them are. Why don’t you decide for yourself? Take a look around –> Here’s a map!

Or, if you’re really adventurous, get off the beaten track and read a random story!