Plague

As I was washing my hands (again) this morning, I was musing (again) about this pandemic, and thinking about what I have read over the years concerning the centuries long bubonic / pneumonic plagues in Europe and the "civilized" world. Those people had no clue what caused it, how it transmitted, or how to avoid being infected. Hygiene was probably not even a word yet, and certainly not practiced by anybody. Fear was rampant, and anyone who offered an explanation or a plan of action, however ludicrous it might sound to us in this century, was given credence.

Now I see and hear political and "religious" " leaders " blaming the coronavirus on whatever target group suits their agenda, or Satan, or Obama or anything or anyone. I am thankful that in this century, we have the option to listen to many different sources of information, including those whose only agenda is to get us through this as painlessly as possible.

I have a friend in Virginia, a microbiologist / belly dancer, who has been working over a hundred hours a week, trying to figure out how to combat this beast (by microbiology, not belly dancing) and a best friend / wife who works at a hospital, where all the latest information is put into practice. Those are the kind of sources I trust, not the finger pointing "news" channels or the creepy preachers bent on demonizing whatever or whoever they want us to perceive as enemies. Here in the twenty first century, we can choose between fear based and love based information. Choose love, my friends, choose love.

Going Viral

This post is unusual because I truly don't have a clue what I'm going to say. I just feel it's my duty to weigh in on the coronavirus situation, since pretty much everyone else on the planet has done so. My email trash file is littered with responses from grocery chains, pharmacy chains, restaurant chains, hardware chains, paint store chains, AAA, AARP, AT&T, the UUA and everybody else. Evidently it's the thing to do, so here goes.

First of all, wash your hands. That's number one on everyone's list. Wash 'em long and hard and frequently. Stay away from other humans. I have been doing that for many years. Of course, when I do encounter humans, it's on a city bus or the Skyway. And of course, when Carmen comes home after spending all day at the hospital, where they wash their hands hundreds of times a day.

Beyond the standard cautions about infection, there is also a positive side to the situation. Facebook has been richly peppered with ideas for things to do while stuck at home with your family or just yourself - and many of them have been very good ideas. For me, though, the upside is that this frantic, manic culture of ours is being forced to slow down or even come to a complete stop. We have an opportunity here to learn that life doesn't have to be run at a breakneck pace. I have no illusions about this, however. Every opportunity that has come along so far has been embraced by many and also exploited by many, and the pace picks up again as soon as enough people forget what it was all about. I can only expect the same this time. But I can hope.

One really nice thing for me is that Susan Werner, my favorite singer song writer, is doing free online concerts for her fans, due to cancellations of her upcoming in-person gigs. We saw her twice in Boston, but 2009 was the last time she came anywhere near where we have lived since then. Last Sunday evening was "All Request Night," and this coming Sunday she'll be doing all new stuff. I can't wait!

Anyhoo, y'all stay safe out there. I only have about six loyal readers, so losing of even one of y'all would be a huge loss. And don't forget to say a silent thank you to Vicki VanGundy for pushing me off the edge and making me swim in the pool of my four blogs again.

And wash your damn hands!

The Oak Leaf Hotel

I was really not aware of the phenomenon of homelessness until the late 80s. If there were homeless people in Odenton, Maryland in the 50s and 60s, I never encountered them. Vero Beach, Florida, same deal. It wasn't until 1988, when I began working for Image International doing huge corporate theme parties, that I came in contact with this class of humans. Al, the owner/CEO/Big Cheese employed a production manager, a truck driver, lighting guys, A/V guys, shop guys and a warehouse boss. All of the additional labor came from a temp agency.

We never knew what we were going to get temp-wise. Some were pretty sharp, ready and willing to "get some work did." Some were sullen and difficult. Some were barely upright and likely to be discovered sleeping somewhere - and at the Marriott World Center, that was frowned upon. Most were there to put in their time, do the work and get paid. Some we would request if they were available, and some we would send back with the delivery driver if they showed up. The one consistent trait was that none of them were around very long - maybe six months at the most. They would just disappear, and nobody knew anything about it unless maybe if they were arrested. And if Image hired one on, he would never last longer than a few days before he would disappear, never to be seen again.

I get why some folks say that homeless people are homeless because they want to be. From the viewpoint of the privileged it can appear that way. Speaking as one who has worked shoulder to shoulder with these guys, shared food and conversation with these guys, I can say that it's simply not that simple. For the most part, they are homeless because they have to be, because, for whatever reason - drugs, alcohol, brain damage, mental illness, PTSD (I worked with a LOT of Vietnam veterans) - they just do not have the wherewithal to be an upstanding citizen. The rigors of managing money, paying rent, showing up for work on time, keeping themselves clean and presentable are simply beyond their capacity. Most are really nice people who will never be accepted into society, so the homeless community is what they have.

One really touching moment during my six and a half years with Image happened when I took the bus from International Drive to downtown Orlando to meet up with Carmen after work. I was grungy and unkempt after a hard day's carpenting, and wearing my Image International T-shirt. When I got off the bus at the downtown terminal, there were several grungy and unkempt guys nearby. We didn't know each other at all, but they assumed I was one of them. "Hey, Brother, you all right? Need anything?" I assured them that I was fine, thanked them and went on my way, but I was humbled by the fact that these guys who had almost nothing to call their own, were happy to offer help to a fellow.

The title of this post is a quote from one of our temporary workers one lunch break. A frequent topic of conversation was "Where did you stay last night?" Beneath overpasses of I-4 were popular sleeping spots. Doorways and alleys were also high on the list. This one dude, who had slept in a cluster of trees, said "I had a room at the Oak Leaf Hotel." It doesn't get any better than that.