Like probably everyone else, I have followed this pandemic thing since it first crept into the news earlier this year. I have to admit, I've seen some strange things since then. I've seen folks buying up toilet paper by the buggy full, for no logical reason at all. I still have not figured out why a virus that mainly causes mischief in a person's lungs would make someone think they needed an oddly large supply of toilet paper. Now, if the symptoms of the virus caused the same issues as eating a questionable taco from a street vendor in the middle of Mexico (Trust me, I've been there and the results can be a bit on the "explosive" side. Not something one wants to see on a wide-spread basis.), I could understand the temptation for a more than ample supply of hiney-wipes. Fortunately, it looks as if the "Great Toilet Paper Rush of 2020" has subsided, for now at least. I did see several packs of Charmin on a grocery store shelf late one afternoon this past week.
When states first began to come to a somewhat normal sense and slowly began to allow people to engage in such high-risk behaviors as getting a haircut, I was relieved. At the same time, I noticed a few of my dear friends who were convinced that my getting a haircut was going to bring about certain disaster to them on the other end of the state. These same, well-intentioned friends hit a major panic button when people were allowed to go to the beach or the golf course once again. I've heard from many scientific-type people that when it comes to a respiratory virus, being out in the fresh air and sunshine is probably the safest place to be. It's much more dangerous for folks to be cooped up inside day after tedious day. I don't think these friends of mine would fare well in a real disaster, like a full-blown zombie apocalypse.
I have had a glimpse of confidence when I see some people say, "Enough is enough." Many of you have probably heard about the woman who cuts hair in Texas who was thrown in jail for doing something as egregious as, get this, cutting hair. It wasn't like she was kicking puppies, she was cutting hair. Then there's political-types in California who have suggested cutting the water and power for businesses they deem to be "unessential." My response to that is, I am so glad I live here rather than there. But, little by little, there are bold people who have decided to resist these tyrannical political power-junkies and tell them, "I'm gonna open my gym, I'm gonna do it safely and I dare you to throw me in jail." I say, "good for those people." The governor of the state in which this gym owner operates actually said, "I wasn't thinking of the Bill of Rights, that's above my pay grade." You think maybe someone should actually tell this elected official, who works for the people of his state that he actually took an oath to defend the constitution that happens to contain those same bills that seem to be above his pay grade? Perhaps he should leave the governor's mansion and opt for a job more in line with his "pay grade."
I have no doubt that we have seen the worst of what this virus can give us. I do think that, in many cases, our response to the virus has been much more damaging than the virus itself. But, hopefully, we live and learn. Now, I need to head to the grocery store and try to find toilet paper. I only have five rolls left, and I don't know if that will get me through the weekend.