A year ago today, March 12, 2020, was the last normal day I had before the pandemic. I was enjoying the spring weather during a rare week at home before starting two months of travel and performing. I met Mom and Dad for brunch before going out on my bike. Now, before you think I’m being pompous with brunch. I’d meet them at the Corner Cafe at noon. They’d eat lunch while I was, finally, getting around to eating breakfast. The following day I received the first of many calls postponing conferences and performances and it seems like I have been sitting at home ever since.
This past year we’ve seen a recession that has hit women harder than men. They are calling it a she-session, although I doubt an economist came up with that term. Women work in industries like hospitality and restaurants that have been hit particularly hard, plus many have left the workforce to help their children who are home attending school virtually. My mom would not have been good at this, but I remember when I was learning multiplication in the third grade, my Granddad Rader would help me. He could multiply faster in his head that I could on paper. If he were teaching children math, they’d certainly return to school knowing their multiplication tables.
With kids doing school virtually and parents working virtually, many are not wearing shoes around the house, contributing to a dramatic increase in broken toes in America. I put on my shoes the second I get out of bed and only take them off to shower or go back to bed. And people call me obsessive-compulsive like it’s a bad thing, but none of my toes are broken.
Divorce rates have fallen because it is expensive and many people don’t have the financial resources to do it. People being at home in unhappy situations has resulted in an increase in domestic violence.
Birth rates have fallen, possibly because of all those broken toes or they never learned how to multiply, but, more likely, because millions have lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs.
With over 500,000 people dead in America, life expectancy has fallen by a full year. I am saddened when I hear stories of people dying alone in a hospital, but I am thankful my parents have survived. I hope we can soon have brunch again because, at this time, it appears the worst may be behind us, but we must continue washing our hands, socially distancing, get vaccinated, and continue wearing your mask. I do wonder how social interaction will change after the pandemic? Will people continue wearing masks? Actually, I’ve gotten used to wearing my mask, although every time I wear it, I have a cat hair tickling my nose, but the good thing is people can’t see how rarely I shave.
Have a great weekend and always remember laughter matters.
