Category: Uncategorized

Alana and Marc jumped in the car to head up to Marc’s camp. Damn that COVID, the place was not opening for the season.

Marc’s section was closed since 1988. The two were planning to QT themselves for some time. Alana told Marc about seeing Anat when she took out the lady who was arrested for pulling her kid out of child protective services. They were aware of the NYPD’s bolo for the dad, who hopefully didn’t hurt the kid, Jerry. All hoped he was safe.

They encountered no traffic. Marc insisted they play camp music — “Baba O ‘Riley,” “Pulling Mussels from the Shell” and “Rock Lobster.” U2 was played. The Clash, Beatles, Kinks, Mojo Nixon, Rolling Stones and Talking Heads were blasted. They played non-Roger Waters Pink Floyd and wouldn’t play Elvis Costello.

They pulled into camp. As usual, the gate was open. It looked broken. Sadly, much of the place was broken. As they drove past a certain site, “Sheena is a Punk Rocker” started to play. “Teenage Lobotomy” followed the tune. Marc looked at the site. For some reason in his disheveled mind, he saw Joey, Tommy, Johnny and Dee Dee at the campfire council ring.

They pulled up to Marc’s site and climbed up the steps with their equipment. They went way into the higher section of the site. They walked into leanto (a sleeping structure) and fell through the floor. They climbed up and check out the rest of it. All was well. Marc built a fire. Alana ran down to the lake to go for a swim. She was humming, R.E.M’s “Nightswimming.”

The two were settled. The fire embers were glowing. They were singing camp songs, like “Smokey the Bear” and acting out skits where they made fun of people. They toasted marshmallows and sipped Genny Cream Ale.

The two got ready for bed when they heard screams further up. They sounded human. They didn’t think anyone else was in camp. According to the state and local rules only the rangers who lived on the property were permitted to be there. And no ranger has been to this section in decades. Who could be there?

Marc grabbed his lantern. Alana followed. They walked for a few minutes they arrived at the site of the throne. The site was used for camp induction rituals. Tied to it was Jerry.

Blood was pouring out of his tiny arms and legs. It looked like he’d been cut with broken glass. The two tried to dial 911. But knew no ambulance was gonna get to this site. Perhaps a medevac could land on the open space on the trail nearby. Years ago, yes. But these days it was too grown in. Regardless they could not get a signal.

Marc’s camp first aid training flashed in his head. Alana ran over to Jerry. She took out her nail clipper. Even she used one. She tried to untie him.

Then they heard other screams.

I’ve done a few social distance hangouts. One of my friends lives in the building next to mine. A few times we met outside our buildings. We stayed well more than 6 feet apart. His two kids ages two and four tagged along. While we are chatting I am wondering what the kids think?

A normal week for the older one would be pretty simple. Mom or dad would drop her off at preschool. She’d do the typical activities, get picked up and go home. She’d have her playdates. If it were nice out she’d play with her friends in Yellowstone Municipal Park. Or they’d play in her or her friend’s apartments. Now the school is closed. The parks are closed.

Learning how to develop friendships at a young age is on hold. What will happen when these kids are allowed to play again? How will they? Will be able to go on swings and slidin’ pond? Will they be able to sit and color together?

My play date was simple we went to the dollar store. She got paintbrushes, paint and paper. I bought disposable gloves, soap and toilet paper. I asked her if she was going to paint a picture of her brother? She said no, my friend. She hasn’t seen her friend in months. They played together regularly.

Now, remember it was only about three months ago that the virus took hold. Now when mom and dad take the kids to the supermarket everyone is wearing gloves and a mask. The store’s employees are, too. They wait online to go into the store. Shelves are empty. There are rations on purchasing certain items. Glass shields are up by the register.

Movie theaters are closed. Clothing stores are closed. Amusement parks and beaches are closed. These kids are seeing their whole world shut.

Today I went to the closed Queens Zoo in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Corona is for the town it is in. Not the virus or the beer. To quote Paul Simon, “I got a Nikon camera. I love to take a photograph.” I stood at the fence of the zoo and took shots of the poor animals. I saw a few zoo workers feeding and taking care of them. As I finished my shoot, a dad and his young son stood at the fence. The kid was three or four years old. Is he thinking is my dad too cheap to take me into the zoo? Are we too poor to pay the $6.25 child fee so I can go in and pet animals? Is he noticing no one is in the zoo?

So what are the two and four-year-olds thinking? How are they taking it in? What is their analysis of why they aren’t in school, allowed to see their friends or go to the latest Disney movie?

I am not a child psychologist. I am sure there will be numerous articles in the journals they and other mental health professionals read that will discuss how these lockdown months will or won’t affect their development. As a casual observer, these kids are taking in much more than their age level prepares them for. Same for us.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was

“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

 

 

 

 

 

Diane, Jerry’s mom was placed under arrest. She told the officers that a woman dressed in black was spraying wine and launching apples at her out of her hands and eyes. The police recognized that she was high and wasn’t sober. They attributed her rash statements to that. Alana was long gone. She was on the BQE heading back to Marc. Anat hung around to see what she could learn. She thought the male officer was cute.

Anat told the officers nothing about Alana. Alana and Marc might still think of her as the enemy. However, Thanos, she was not. The cops were briefed in by the child protective services center that she was considering adopting Jerry.

Diane said nothing about where her husband, Jay was and if she knew if he still had Jerry. They were trying to find out if Jay was planning to dump him on the street or pass him off to someone. She was placed in the squad car.

Other officers went to her residence to search for the kid. They didn’t find him. They found cocaine, heroin, illegal firearms and lots of booze. They interviewed a few neighbors. That amounted to nothing but warnings to stay clean. The officers were going to find family members to interview and search their homes.

Anat went home and cried. Alana and Marc cooked rigatoni with vodka sauce and sipped chardonnay while listening to the Ramones. Marc was thinking of driving up to camp. It was closed. But he knew he could get in. His section has been closed since the ‘90s. But that never stopped him from camping there.

I have a 10-year-old nephew. He’s amazing. I don’t see him enough. But when I do we have lots of fun.

Thanks to Covid-19 seeing him is fairly impossible. Getting to him requires two train rides and a cruise on the Staten Island Ferry. After all of that, a 5-minute car ride or 10 minutes walk.  It is worth it.

These days even the family near him doesn’t see him. Mother’s Day was socially distant. He went to his grandparents’ homes. But he never went in. He sat in the car in their driveways, smiled and they yelled hello from the front door. A few phone calls were made to people in other boroughs. He’s supposed to graduate fifth grade in a few weeks. While it is not high school graduation or college, it is important. I had to fight with my parents about my high school graduation. I was on camp staff.  Graduation day was the second day of staff week. I wanted to go to summer camp. I saw no reason to go to the graduation ceremony. It is not like I loved Tottenville High School. I hated it. I went to the ceremony and had dinner with the family. The next morning I was in camp.

Unfortunately, he will likely never get the chance to do the elementary school ceremony. He probably would have enjoyed it. Will he get to camp? Will I get to go? I only go for a few days. Unknown.

He’s seen plenty of the great movies — Avengers, Harry Potter and the greatest of them all, Star Wars. Will the next year or so of his life be stuck at home? When will he or any of us enjoy the next round of films? How will he enjoy the things a preteen should? He has been to baseball games but not enough and now he’s at the age where he’d understand the game better.

He’s at the same point with the Marvel, Star Wars and other movies. Will he be able to go to the park and skate with his friends? Will he remember what it was like to go out without a mask and gloves? And have real family and playdates? Will he or any of us get to have the good ‘ole days of strolling along Museum Mile, walking through the Village or riding the Cyclone?

Will life as we knew it just be a photo album on Facebook? Or will it be better?

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

 

 

 

 

 

Alana was sitting in her aunt’s penthouse. She spent some time going over her financial information and medicines. Aunt Solica was in good health for her age. Her financial situation was something most dreamed of. Uncle Jaco has been gone for several years. All missed him.

Alana bid Aunt Solica goodbye and said she’d back in a week or two. Alana walked down the block. She headed downtown where her black Infiniti was parked.

Anat finished her grocery deliveries for the elderly. Aunt Solica was not on today’s route. So the two enemies didn’t see each other. Anat went home and grabbed the small gift bag she was bringing to Jerry. She didn’t want to spoil him. She got him some fresh fruit and a toy truck.

She jogged down to the children’s shelter. She saw police cars nearby. That didn’t faze her. The NYPD was always nearby. A lot of crazy parents came by and caused trouble. She walked in and saw Anne crying while talking to two officers. Other personnel was crying. An onsite physician was treating a staff member who was assaulted.

Anne yelled out to Anat, “Jerry’s been kidnapped. Her parents came in higher than a kite and took him. His mom had a huge knife and went after Joe, security guard.” One of the officers in the facility remembered Anat from when she called 911 to save Jerry.

Tears fell down her eyes. She asked what the parents looked like. One of the center’s security guards quickly showed her the footage on the security camera. He said we saw them running downtown. The police told Anat to stay calm. That was not in her DNA. She left the gift bag on the floor and told them to give it to another kid.

She raced out. She saw other officers searching for Jerry and his parents. She heard faint screams. She raced like a marathon runner. Remember the streets were pretty empty as the Covid-19 virus still had the city by its balls.

As Anat got closer she saw Jerry’s mom. Then she looked again. She looked for the kid. But she opened her eyes wider than ever. She saw wine splattering all over Jerry’s mother. She saw huge apples flying by. She never in her life thought she’d be thankful to see Alana. She heard Alana yell, “Do not hurt that kid. I have no idea who you, the dirtbag you were with or the kid is. But I will make sure he’s safe. After I take you down.” Your friend is next. He can only run so far. He will be found.”

The mom tried to throw rocks and broken beer bottles at Alana. She hit her a few times.

This only fired Alana up more.

Anat wasn’t sure what to do. She knew she wanted to take out Jerry’s mom. But more than anything she wanted to find him. She figured he was with his dad. She prayed he was ok. She saw his mom falling. Happy as she was, she needed Alana to stop. She needed the mom alive. She still remembered the beating Alana and Marc gave her. That beating changed her life. She dialed 911.

No, I’ve never been to jail. People have joked around asking if I have. I joked back, “Yes, three times. “ I took the tour of Alcatraz and sat in a cell. I worked for a former Staten Island NYC Council Member and attended two events at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility.

So whenever we are released from our government-mandated or self-imposed QT, what will happen?

I know are all thinking about this. I have tickets in September for the New Order-Pet Shop Boys Unity Tour. I was very excited to “Go West” with my “West End Girls.” The “Temptation” and “Power, Corruption and Lies” was just too inviting. But Ticketmaster sent an email saying it’s been postponed.

I’m a Philharmonic subscriber. I have tickets for several shows for the next season. They should have been mailed in April. I check the mail. But like Charlie Brown, who every Valentine’s Day checks his mailbox for his valentine, I have received nothing. Sorry, Charlie. In every way, I know how you feel. The opera I planned to see was canceled and refunded. For the record, Lincoln Center is a pleasure to work with in comparison to Ticketmaster. Will we ever be able to go the Garden like we used to? How will we see concerts? Operas? The Philharmonic? Sports? Visit museums? I’m still a member of several and have renewed during the pandemic. I am hopeful one day, I can visit the galleries of the Guggenheim, tour the apartments in the Tenement Museum and watch movies in the Museum of Moving Image.

How will we go to our favorite steakhouse? What I wouldn’t give to eat at L&B Spumoni Gardens or freely walk the boardwalk at Coney Island and ride the Cyclone. When and how will we watch a bar band in the Coney Island Brewery or Desmond’s Tavern? We all love seeing our favorite artists on Zoom. But nothing beats seeing them live the traditional way.

And the list goes on and on for tickets I have for other concerts, Yankee games, etc. I was supposed to work the Fall Dystonia Medical Research Foundation’s Bronx Zoo Walk. I’ve staffed it several times. Nationwide all zoo walks have been canceled. They were in September and October. I have staffed the viewing stand at the Celebrate Israel Parade for many years. Done my best to raise money for the AIDS Walk and always enjoyed spending the day in Central Park. Both events will now occur virtually.

How will we be able to do our fund and awareness raising events? When we get out can we just freely walk around the park? Can I spend a few hours and shoot pictures and then grab a beer at the boathouse? What restrictions will be in place?

So I am dying to get out of “jail.” But when I am discharged it doesn’t look like my options will be that exciting. I will likely still need to wear a mask and disposable gloves. Will I get to see should have been released but canceled due to the virus “Black Widow,” “Wonder Woman” and “X-Men: New Mutants” movies? These should have just been placed on demand. I would have loved to sit in my living room and watch them. Not that settling for Star Wars is a bad thing. I’ve been watching them repeatedly since “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.” Right now I am feeling hopeless.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

 

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

 

“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

 

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

 

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

 

 

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At SUNY New Paltz Professor Brownstein opened his international relations class with “We live in interesting times.” I know the origins of the quote have been debated. That’s a debate that will likely go on long after we are gone. Not here to discuss its origins. Don’t care. But before I go further. Let me apologize to Lew. That’s Professor Brownstein. I took several of his courses. Before he offered the quote, he would say, “Good morning, I am Lew and that’s I how to expect to be addressed.”

As for living in interesting times, everyone can say that. We certainly do. I am going to skip discussing some of the things that happened when I was very young or a pre-teen, i.e. Watergate, the Iranian hostage crisis, Son of Sam, the gas lines of the ‘70s, Reggie’s three homers on three pitches (I surely remember that), the NYC blackout, July 13-14, 1977, John Lennon’s murder and Thurman Munson’s plane crash. Certainly, I remember the last two items and still think about them. I remember them all. As a little kid, I made some interesting statements or gestures about a few. Yes, there were more things. Much more. Hopefully, your vaulted aisles of memory have been stirred. These interesting times have changed our society and the way we live. Things changed perhaps for the better. Or, perhaps for the worse.

Let’s jump to the early to mid-80s. That was a great time. We had the best music to name a few — the Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, the Psychedelic Furs, the Smiths, and U2. We had oversized Benetton and Champion sweatshirts and OP (Ocean Pacific) clothes. And we had AIDS.

I remember the last year of I.S. 34, Totten Intermediate School, Tottenville, Staten Island, and freshman year of Tottenville High School, Huguenot, Staten Island during this time. People were scared. People talked. Thank G-d there was no social media then. We see how good and damaging it can be. I remember students, teachers, and other school personnel gossiping about which teacher or pupil contracted AIDS.

There were letters sent home to our parents saying the school was safe. Similar announcements were made over the public address system. School walkouts were planned. Some occurred. I stayed in school. The only way I was ever allowed to stay home was when the school was closed by the city.

In the aftermath, we saw increased marketing for condom use. Of course, this was a dilemma. Religious reasons and the topic of safe sex education caused the predicament of what we could and couldn’t say. We saw be faithful and abstinence campaigns. There were underground support groups. People whispered when talking about this disease. Unfortunately, AIDS still exists and is still killing too many people. Thankfully there is far greater awareness and better treatment.

And although not enough, more people are being safer.

Then came 9/11. Yes, I am aware of many things that happened in between, i.e. the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, an assassination attempt on President Reagan, Chernobyl, the Challenger Explosion, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, the First Intifada, glasnost and perestroika, the Iran-Contra Affair, Just Say No and Operation Desert Storm. The list goes on and on.

Most of us remember the devastating 9/11 attack. I remember the changes it brought — Enhanced airport security. Same for doing something as simple as entering a Broadway theater, the Guggenheim, Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium and many other venues. We adopted many protocols the Israelis have nearly always had in place.

I was at my dad’s house in Plant City, Fl when it happened. My return flight was delayed for a few days. I remember coming back to Staten Island, NY. The island lost so many people. My mom picked me up at the former Newark Airport. We went to my favorite pizza place. The place was usually lively. It was empty. The few customers and employees had drawn faces. This was everywhere. People were being friendlier to each other than usual.

Let’s jump to Covid-19. We are living through it. I hope we all live. I have had one or two social distance friend hangouts. Our buildings are next to each other. We stood outside on opposite sides of the street, he and his kids on top of the block and me on the bottom. For five minutes we screamed at each other and went back to our residences.

What changes will it bring? Will my 10-year-old nephew never know what’s it like to jump on the train and go to the city? Will he and all of us have to wear masks? How will we go to movies, etc.?

BTW, I know many great things happened during the decades I discussed. Many have changed the way we live and helped save lives. So not to be a total downer, here I go, the artificial heart, barcodes, MRIs, fiber optics, the personal computer, the original Star Wars and several Yankee World Championships (we need many more) and lots more.

What will the next decades bring? Likely they will bring more of the same — disasters and great inventions. Togetherness and fights. In many ways, all will become commercial successes.

We’ve seen great music and theater, as well as new medical treatments coming out of many of the listed and other events. We’ve donated to the “One Campaign,” watched “Rent,” heard “Biko,” “Red Rain, ” “Russians” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”

No questions these are great works. But let’s see us be more proactive to stop the next virus from taking hold and eradicating the current ones. Or to quote U2, we will be running to stand still. We probably always have.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know we need our masks and gloves. Got those. My Lacoste mask arrived a few days ago. And I have surgical ones. I bought a box several years before the virus took hold. Finally started using them regularly. The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation mask is in transit. It’d be great when we no longer need that one. I am hopeful one day we won’t need any.

What about our regular mode of dress? Yes, we’ve heard all about how cool it is to work in your pajamas. Or gym shorts and your favorite Yankee t-shirt. I went to work for years in my Lacoste or other dress shirts. Thanks to mom, I grew up in those. I remember going to the now-closed Lester’s on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue U. My mom always dressed me nattily.

These days, I’ve done business calls and job interviews via the phone wearing my gym clothes.   I’ve done plenty of Zoom interviews. I still put on a dress shirt and wear dress pants. Sure I could wear my gym shorts with a dress shirt, jacket and even a tie. Zoom only shows a head and shoulders shot. Sometimes I even dress up for phone calls. But I still feel the need to dress business-like and show respect for the people on the other end of the screen. Some have. Many have not. I did a job interview where the interviewer spent more time playing with her cat than paying attention to me. Didn’t get the job. I am allergic to cats. My eyes must have been tearing. LOL

Thanks to good friends in Rockville, Md. I get to do lots of great social and other events via Zoom. They are beautiful people in a beautiful place. Just never go there on a bus. Ask Mike Mills about how that became the second and final single on R.E.M’s “Reckoning” album. Out of respect during some of the events, we are dressed up. In some cases, we are in our “pandemic attire”.

I guess I am thinking of the respect we had in scout summer camp. Dinner was always in a Class A summer uniform, short or long-sleeved shirt, shorts or pants, bolo, scout belt and the goofiest looking socks. It was summer so we usually wore the short sleeves and shorts version. Class B official shorts and camp related t-shirt was acceptable for some programming.   At a young age, I was taught to dress respectfully. Same with giving a proper handshake, stand up, remove your gloves, and shake hands.

I don’t mind the new dress code. However, I open my closets and stare at the clothes I’ve purchased over the years. I bought way too much. I thought about all the money I’ve spent and how hard it is for me to find the right sizes. I close the doors and get sad. All I want it to put on my business attire and travel to and from the city for work, performances at Lincoln Center, and other events.

Yes, I will wear my favorite Yankee shirt and jean shorts at Yankee Stadium and on weekends. But I feel so much better knowing I can wear either set of apparel. And look forward to the time when we have to make the choice.

Time to do the laundry. Normally I would drop off my clothes for dry cleaning and regular laundry at the store near the subway. That store’s been closed for a while. I think Laundromats should be essential.

I don’t mind doing it. My building has a decent laundry room. I was VP of its board when it was renovated. But never walked into it. People used to tease me when they saw me walking with my laundry bag and shirts. I heard, “You’re going to another laundry room.”

I decided to do laundry on Mother’s Day. After all, my mom is an expert on laundry. I remember when I would come home from school or camp and bring several weeks worth of laundry for her to wash.   She did it. I got yelled at.

The laundry room was empty when I loaded my clothes for the wash cycle. Thirty minutes later, I went down to move my clothes to the dryer. The laundry room was quite busy. A couple was in there moving there placing their clothes in the washer. Similar to food shopping, I do not feel two people must do the job. Certainly one person can load the machine, pour in the Tide, Downy, and swipe the payment card.  It should be easy enough for one person to move the wet clothes to the dryer.

One guy was there on the phone. I watched this from outside. He was holding court when people came in and out. Sort of like his social center. In camp, there was a camper who held court on his seat in the latrine. Laundry guy came in and out and said it would take him about 20 minutes to fold his clothes. Again, why do you have to fold them in the laundry room? Throw the clothes in your laundry bag and go upstairs and fold in your residence. He placed his clean clothes on the folding table. He did not place anything between the table and his clothing. Another woman did come in for about two minutes to take care of her laundry. They chatted.

Thirty-plus minutes later he finally finished. He seemed very proud of himself. I raced in and moved my clothes from the washer to the dryer. The couple from before came back in to do the same. But kept their distance. They did say hi and seemed very friendly. I realize couples like to do stuff together go to eat, the theaters, sporting events, see Depeche Mode at the Garden. For the record, doing that alone is great. The music talks more to you.

Forty minutes later, I went down to grab my clothes from the dryer. One of the women who were in earlier came in. She seemed friendly.   As I was pulling out my last towel and sock, her dry cycle ended. Naturally, the dryer was close to mine. Did she wait for me to finish? It was pretty clear I’d be out in less than a minute. Of course, not she had to race right over to her dryer. What would have the extra minute cost?

For the record, when I lived in an apartment complex in Bay Terrace, Staten Island, I was laundry boy. I did it on my own in a small laundry room. One day they closed it for renovations. What did I do? I brought it to mom. The renovations went on a little longer than expected. When do renovations ever start and finish onetime? Never. Mom did the laundry. When it went on a little longer she said, try dropping it off. I did. When the building’s laundry room was ready they put balloons and signs all over it saying “Welcome back, Mitchell, laundry boy. Please give us a full report.” Everything came out clean.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

 

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

 

“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

 

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

 

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

 

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

 

 

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks