By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 24, 2020 | In my lifetime, never has the United States experienced the widespread impact that the coronavirus is causing. Essentially much of our nation is at a near standstill as we seek to distance ourselves from one another.
Can you remember when major “emergency situations” have been instituted by local governments? Seldom. It’s happened in specific times, such as in the Katrina days in New Orleans, or the devastation in Haiti from hurricanes, or in other areas where weather conditions caused local officials to close schools and businesses. But widespread conditions across the entire country and governments suspending all activities? Not in my lifetime.
There is another health scare that I remember: the polio epidemic in the middle of last century. Since some experts thought that this devastating sickness was spread possibly by water, when I was a child, the public swimming pools were closed. We lived about three blocks from Washington Park in Macon, which had a series of waterfalls circling the park, eventually flowing into a 50-foot children’s pool, no more than four feet deep. At least one hot summer that pool was closed. Similar closings took place in pools across our country.
An entire country had enormous difficulties in 1940-41 during the bombing of lots of areas in England by the Germans Luftwaffe. The London Blitz lasted for 57 days, starting on September 7. Many of Britain’s other cities were bombed, too. Somehow the British people came through that bravely, though in London 32,000 people were killed, 87,000 injured and many of the city’s buildings devastated. But the Brits maintained their stiff upper lip, and survived.
A BIG TEST for most of us not going to our jobs, or even being able to assemble at church or other gatherings, is the sheer boredom of our days. Luckily, last week the spring-like weather arrived, and people were able to get out of their houses…..but separately, not in groups.
One guy, out walking with his children, aged 5 and 2, said: “This is our third walk today,” during mid-afternoon, indicating the inside-the-house boredom. Even the onset of pollen didn’t deter some from being outdoors.
The great weather may not continue, as rain is predicted for the area much of the week. Perhaps it will be spotty, and still give us stretches to unwind in the outdoors.
GREETING when you bump elbows: “Corona!”
THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY, we had acquaintances and neighbors checking in on us “….just to see if all is well,” and offering to help us in any way, such as shopping. “Nope, we’re OK,” was our response. “We just made a run to the grocery store, and are stocked up.”
Yet to have three different people offer help in one day was quite gratifying. We all need to look out more for each other, making it a better world.
ISN’T IT GREAT that many restaurants are open, via drive-in or delivery services, to offer us more choice of food during this respite from work? We were amazed at the speed going through one drive-in, even with about a dozen cars in line. We made it through from order to pick-up in less than five minutes. And some of those placing orders were large orders, too. Of course, one reason the restaurants can make pick-up speed is since they are not also serving walk-in customers, with the entire crew focusing only on drive-by and delivery customers.
Keep your own stiff upper lip…and social distance, to help us all.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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