Barrett Rainey's Second Thoughts

Between our deadly pandemic and Trump’s pathological bloviating, there’s not much air left in the room. So, this is sort of a mental grab bag of disassociated thoughts.

I found it odd when Jared K took to the “boob tube” to announce the “good” news that “victory” has been achieved in our intensive battle with Covid-19. Apparently the deaths of 64,000 Americans because of that virus was an acceptable loss. “Victory?”

Jared, my boy. Your daddy’s HHS department just ordered 100,000 new body bags. Can you make the connection? “Victory?”

At last count, the publicly known deaths among medical personnel on the front lines totaled 21. There are probably more. Dedicated to their work and dead because they took on the virus face-to-face. Not sure how Jared would spin that but he’d find something.

Though no responsible agency around our parts will tell us exact numbers, we know about 120 citizens in our triple 55-plus retirement communities have been infected. That’s 120 out of about 90,000 gray hairs. Don’t know exactly how many have died but likely some have. One thing we do know. There’ll be more.

It’ll be interesting – and terribly sad – a few months from now, when we see the national and worldwide numbers of how many were affected by the virus. And how many perished.

We noted the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds have been buzzing various big city hospitals in a salute to front line health care workers. Not to be outdone, residents of Sun City West came up with their own special way of honoring the same. Did so with a parade of golf carts. Some 300 of them. Many with flags and banners. You shoulda seen it.

Unlike a lot of other Republican governors, ours has kept the lid on until mid-May at the earliest. I asked wife Barbara last evening if she’d go to church Sunday if allowed. My always thoughtful spouse, who takes a moment to consider her responses, immediately snapped “NO!” To which I silently agreed.

Our Pres-ee-dent has called the armed protestors demanding everything be opened up “good people. Some guy, with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder, demanding his favorite bar be unlocked, does not qualify as a “good person” in our neighborhood.

Odd how some of those “good people,” who’ve been screaming about immigrants “taking their jobs,” are now demanding some of those same folk leave the safety of their homes to clean “citizen” houses, mow their lawns and take away their garbage. Just odd.

Governors who’ve chosen to throw the doors wide open are pretty pleased with themselves right now. Doing just what their “leader” wanted. Downright pleased. Well, in a few weeks, those same governors may well find themselves complaining about the rise in hospital admissions. And renewed demands for front line medical supplies. And renewed death counts. Just saying.

Grocery stores in these parts have begun stocking up on occasional TP and paper towels. Somehow, in our preparations for staying put, we’ve got about as much TP in the garage as a Hilton hotel. Guess we didn’t coordinate our shopping lists in March.

In our occasional runs to the store for perishables, it’s been a joy to have so little traffic on our excellent roads. Not only are other seniors around us hunkered down but many of the Snowbirds have “flown the coop.” Canadians have to get home now because their visas are only good for six months. The other “birds” noted the 102 temps last week and decided the Dakotas, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois environs were more suitable.

Most seniors hereabouts are wearing face masks. That’s good. But, if like me, you have to occasionally rely on lip reading, makes it tough to order a latte with just the right ingredients.

We’ve adjusted to “attending” church online. Some medical appointments have been cancelled. But, on the whole, this penned-in life has not changed things a lot. At least not until you get the sudden urge for a burger and a beer. Just not the same in your own kitchen.

We sadly note some 35-million people have filed for unemployment support. Many others have tried to do so but haven’t been successful. The important questions now are how long will this shutdown last and how long can states keep sending out those checks.

Some at CDC are seriously predicting this Covid-19 bug may be around for a year or two more. Very bad news! Many states are already on the edge of bankruptcy. The fed can’t keep printing money to meet continuing demands. At some point the till runs dry.

What then?

As I said at the top, some disassociated thoughts. That kind of describes all of our lives these days. Disassociated. We keep hearing the bad medical news and having to listen to our truth-challenged occupant of the White House using TV time for medical updates as platforms for “distanced” political rallies.

His son-in-law may believe we’ve achieved some sort of “victory” in our Coronavirus fight. But, the final body count isn’t in yet. The war’s not won.

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