How would a novel called Love in the Time of Coronavirus be written?
For my state, maybe connecting on a dating site during Stage 1 lockdown, then when rules were relaxed meeting and having mad and passionate sex and loving each moment spent together.
Stage 2 lockdown, hungry for each other but you can't meet. You talk on the phone, text, message, send emails. Where does the novel go to from there? I really don't know.
We masked up while doing our weekly shopping today. I estimate people shopping in South Melbourne today were masked to 50 per cent.
When out later for my exercise walk, I bought coffee and some public seating was blocked off and some wasn't. I sat for a bit where it wasn't blocked off and a woman was ranting. I don't care if they fine me. We are socially distanced. What is the problem. The person who she was speaking to replied, never mind the fine, you could have a criminal record. I don't know if that is true. I moved away to the seating across the road around the electricity substation to receive my dose of radiation.
Then in an unmarked car police arrived. I thought they may have been attending to fine the rich and famous who were sitting, but no, it turned out they were buying coffee as far as I could see. From a distance a policewoman seemed to be looking at me, now standing in parkland. Time to finish my exercise walk and I will take my coffee with me rather than watching the cops.
Over 400 new COVID infections in our state yesterday. Are we scared? You betcha.
State Premiers and Prime Ministers must delegate. We were thinking our state Premier was doing a great job in our state with the virus, but it seems whoever he delegated to did not get it right and our massive numbers of new infections all go back to lax and bribed private security guards at hotel quarantine. A judicial enquiry is about to start.
I can relate as the pandemic in California is springing back too, sad to say. I don't blame our leaders, I blame many people being irresponsible. As that cartoon of years ago said "the enemy is us." Like you my family is being cautious.
ReplyDeleteTerra, while it is down to the individual, it is up to leaders to create the culture of great caution and in so many places this his not been the case and the innocent have paid a high price.
DeleteYes, we were young. Phil had just turned 23, and I would be 22 the next month. We never dreamed we would live through some thing like this, although Phil, who was the first person I ever knew who used the word "ecology", was even back then talking about the danger of pandemics in an overcrowded world.
ReplyDeleteNot really that young Cynthia. Now 58 plus 22...ah, you are lucky I am bad at arithmetic.
DeleteCongratulations to Cynthia and Phil.
ReplyDeleteLove in a time of coronavirus? I am not at all certain how it will play out, and in some instances the virus will certainly be a very effective chaperone.
Glad you could get out. I am wondering about the criminal record issue you raised. Perhaps it is just treated in the same way as fines which don't carry a record with them.
EC, since it has been clarified. No criminal record. I like your chaperone thoughts.
DeleteLately I've been eating on bus stops as it is sometimes the only place to sit down.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Cynthia and P aul.
Merle.........
Merle, yes, whatever seat you can find that is not blocked off. We of a certain age need to sit down.
DeleteHubby and I been together 36 years and I'm consider essential worker. I know some place if a mask is mandated you get ticket for a misdemeanor. Pretty much like trafic ticket
ReplyDeleteDora, while the fine is much higher here than for a parking ticket, the record is much the same.
DeleteI think this second wave has always been on the cards. Any country that accepts that economy is as important as health will suffer the same consequence. It'll happen everywhere; people are naturally irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteCro, I agree. The health of the citizens should be the priority. It is so easy to slip back to old ways. We have to catch ourselves all the time.
DeleteYou're scared and we are all scared too, for you and your family, and all other friends and family over there.
ReplyDeleteOnly masked 50%? That's a bit shameful.
Crossing my fingers it doesn't cross the borders.
I saw on the TV news USA had over 75,000 new cases in a single day, but one woman on camera was saying she still believes it is political and a hoax.
River, it is a lot more masking than was happening, and the more people who wear masks, the more people will wear them. It has crossed your border, one case of a returned traveller who spent two weeks here in isolation. Look what is happening in NSW. It just takes one person. I can guess who that USA woman will be voting for at the next election.
DeleteA novel about love in the virus time, would test that love that had just begun.
ReplyDeleteI should imagine if you are booked or fined for not doing the correct thing during Covid-19 there would be a record of it.
It is rather scary with your State having cases, let's hope it improved soon.
Take care.
Margaret, halved today. Hoping.
DeleteStay safe, stay home, stay masked.
ReplyDeleteTravel we stay safe and now masked, but we do go out. Keeps us sane to get take away food and coffee.
DeleteRemember the Marquez book called Love in the Time of Cholera? Great title:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Hels. I knew the title came from somewhere.
DeleteI'm beginning to think I won't be able to see my grandchildren at Christmas at this rate Andrew, closed borders and all that! As for love in the time of Coronavirus, tantric comes to mind 😉
ReplyDeleteGrace, six months away. Maybe ok by then. Tantric is an interesting suggestion.
DeleteI'd say at least 85% are masked here. It is required indoors. I haven't seen any cases of it being enforced yet.
ReplyDeleteA good figure Jackie.
DeleteIn Belgium it is obligatory now, you have to wear a mask if you are somewhere inside like a shop or church or whatever. Otherwise 300 € fine. The number of infected people has increased because young people are not keeping to the rules get together don't keep the distances and of course don't wear masks ! I don't care to wear a mask inside, even outside it doesn't matter, there is one we got for free and it makes me suffocate, the one frome the city is OK, the others friends made.
ReplyDeleteGattina, our churches are closed. Unless the figures here drop soon, there will be a lot more mask wearing, maybe compulsory.
DeleteCould that woman have called the cops on you?! People are slowly masking more and more here. It becomes compulsory in shops on July 24.
ReplyDeleteSteve, no. I was too far away and inconsequential. I think the cop was looking in my direction rather than at me. Masks from July 24? Bolting horses and stable doors come to mind.
DeleteI read the book Love in the Time of Cholera but can't remember much about it. The two meet up, secretly, tell the hotel desk attendant they are married, share a night. A week later both are worried whether they should call the other. Finally the woman calls. But its not to tell him what a great time she had, can they meet again. It's to say she tested positive for corona and he should get tested. he does and is also positive. They meet again, find themselves three people apart in ICU, just before he is intubated. He nevere comes out of it. Their next meeting is at a cemetery. She is breathing with difficulty as she places flowers at his grave marker. The end.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, what a cheerful read that must have been.
DeleteI do hope our numbers improve soon.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed Joe. I think we may see decent improvement this coming week.
DeleteFingers crossed, things improve soon in Victoria. Keep safe Andrew.
ReplyDeleteWe try to Sami. Thanks. Good that Jose is in his home state.
DeleteParts of America are having 10,000 cases a day. I never go among people but what I feel that I'm taking my life in my hands.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see people like the woman you overheard jailed.
Snowy, your figures are so depressing and the world knows who is responsible. I'm sure the woman was all bluster. In a way she was right in that she and those she was talking to were distanced. It has never been made clear here about sitting in public spaces, although stay home overrides most things.
DeleteI had my temperature taken twice yesterday, once in the dentist's office and a second time in a store where I went to buy eyeglasses. These places--like many stores and even some states, one of them being my state of Oregon--require masks, yet, in instances of childish rebellion, I saw people in the store who had their masks pulled down around their mouths. I not only lack patience with such people, I despise them, and the worse the pandemic gets, the more pressure they will be under to conform.
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