Category: Uncategorized

Last Thursday, I woke up early for online religious services. We had connectivity problems.

These days, I am trying to stay off my phone. Thanks to Apple’s screen time tracking, I realized I was on too much. That’s done. However, I went to Snap some friends at the organization to see what was up? I noticed a missed call at 6:37 a.m. Eastern with a Framingham, Ma. area code. I figured it was a spam call. Or a recruiter calling from a foreign country using a U.S. number. Job searches during the pandemic or anytime can the topic of a lengthy post. Perhaps even a novel or dark comedy. It could have been one the spammers telling me my auto warranty is about to expire. I haven’t had a car in 10 years. This old post, “Does my father want to go on a Norwegian Cruise? Does he want burial in Riverside Cemetery?” talks about spammers.

I didn’t check the message. I went back to my laptop and was able to log in. At around 8, I finished services and started pouring my Fiber One. Sorry, Tony, I will be back to Frosted Flakes in a few days.  “They’re Grrreat.” But sometimes you need a sugar break. I forgot about the message. I saw the iPhone and remembered it.

I listened to the voicemail and almost fell over. It was a lifeline medical alert for my 93-year-old grandmother. I panicked. As my hands stopped shaking I dialed my mom. She is the main contact. No answer. I dialed grandma. Mom answered. She said, “They called you?” I said yes and was very upset I didn’t get the message earlier. Mom told me she fell and got a bad cut. But she’s ok. Mom took her to the urgi center.

As I am penning this, I am upset with myself for missing the message. My grandmother is at the top of the list of the people that truly love me. Her husband, my grandfather did. He’s been gone for too long. It makes me wonder about my phone habits during the pandemic and anytime.

Let me set the record straight.

• I don’t sleep with my mobile phone. At bedtime, it rests in the kitchen
• I keep it on vibrate. I cannot stand hearing the noise every time I get a text, email, social media notification, etc. It is non-stop. I get hundreds all day. Part of that is my fault
• I normally don’t answer the phone unless I recognize the caller. The lifeline call came in as a regular phone number. Perhaps on some people’s phones, it comes in as a medic alert call
• I still have a landline. A Vonage one. I will likely never get rid of it. I worked there during its early stages. It was an amazing learning experience

That being said, will I change my phone habits? I am not sure. Sadly, spammers make this difficult. But I may answer or go back to checking the iPhone more often. Thanks to Vonage’s Simultaneous Ring any call coming to my landline rings simultaneously to my mobile.

I noted the lifeline number and added it to my contacts. If heaven forbid it I get another call from that number, I know to answer. Of course, they could have other numbers in their phone tree. Some could be in Massachusetts. Some could be elsewhere. I will pay more attention to numbers from Massachusetts. Just don’t call me to push the Red Sox. I will hang up. But the caller will likely hear a Bronx response. 

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“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

 

I recently spent five days in the place I called home as a teenager – Ten Mile River Scout Camps. It was a phenomenal experience. I saw people I haven’t since the 80s.

We went to the remains of our favorite sites: Chappegat Hill, Kunatah, Picture Window and Indian Cliffs. I can safely say for myself and the rest of the gang I was with, those sites will always be holy to us. Most of them are no longer operational. Being there flashed us back to our youth. That’s when the trails were teeming with scouts climbing the trail to Eagle.

While in camp, I spoke to current staff and campers. I relayed what we did. Bear in mind, this is when the whole world was not striving to be 100 percent politically correct. We were boys being boys. We wore our scout uniforms, Champion tee and sweatshirts, OP shorts, Gotchas and other 80s fashion. We blasted Squeeze’s “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” out of our leantos. If we won our competitions, earned our merit badges we got to go to Carousel Park, Beach Lake, Pa. and ride go-karts and dune buggies. We got to eat the “red sauce” in the now closed El Monaco’s, White Lake, N.Y.

We gave each other nicknames. They were based on how we looked, acted and smelled. Some kids never showered. I’m sure that’s still the case. We roughed it. We threw each other out of canoes. No one ever got hurt. We all knew how to swim. In the middle of the night we raided each other. We had food fights.

We had a five-seater tip pan latrine (the willy). Everyone sat down together to go. We played baseball in the willy. Scoring was based on what we produced… We took ice cold showers. That’s until we “housed” a hot water heater from an abandoned site. We ate gross camp food. Thankfully they still do.

Kids that misbehaved in the dining hall were “nuked”. They had to scrub the place after the meal or wash pots when we concluded our weekend BBQs.

Some scouts spent all Saturday night at the willy’s sink scrubbing. As a camper and staff member, I dished out and suffered the punishment.

On our canoe trips, as we paddled down the Delaware River, we loaded up our canoes with dead fish. At different points, we bashed each other over the head with the fish.

I still long for a dead fish fight.

While I was sitting in the new Keowa Dining Hall, I spoke about these memories with those around me. Their jaws dropped wide open. No one could believe me. Some were grossed out. I guess dead fish fights and old school willys don’t appeal to all. These days, the camp has flush toilets and traditional showers. I’ve heard their canoe trips are more traditional.

These days, the scouts have fun. Lots of fun. It is a little different. But it is their fun.   They are creating memories. They are soaring to the rank of Eagle Scout. Whose memories are the best? That is in the eye of the beholder. One day, these scouts will come to alumni events and tell their stories to the young staff and scouts. I’m sure things will have changed during that course of time. How much? Time will tell.

We all have listened to the Beatles’ tune, “In my life.” It likely brought you back to a favorite memory. Perhaps it is a canoe trip in camp, watching the Bronx Bombers clinching a World Series victory, a great date and a delicious steak.

I have memories of a lot of things.  I remember my eyes tearing during my first trip to the Kotel, walking up the muddy steps to get to the hill that my camp sat atop of, the first time I saw “Rent” and my first rock concert in 1986, Billy Joel. Those are big things.  But right now, I am remembering and wishing for small things.

These days I am remembering things I don’t love. But were simple parts of life. I grew up on Staten Island. I took the Staten Island Ferry regularly for many years. I never loved it. I remember in my 20s sitting with a bunch of guys I grew up with as we headed off to work. The ferry was replete with characters. These days when working, I have a choice of the “E,” “F,” “R’ or “M” subway lines. Like the ferry, the subway has its characters. It has more.

I am thinking of great pizza on Staten Island and Brooklyn. Getting haircuts at Astor Place. I used to go every two weeks. I haven’t been there since February 27. After the haircut, I sometimes walked the two blocks to Washington Square Park. I took the obligatory photos of the arch and the man who sits with dozens of pigeons. Several sit on his body. Ah, NYC’s characters. I’d love to go back to the Rockefeller Center New York Sports Club and train with my boys. We have had the same conversation since around 2008. We talk about baseball. Football gets in there, too.

I miss the simplicity of walking through the Soho, the Village and Museum Mile. Sure I miss going to the productions at Lincoln Center, games in ‘Da Bronx, all of our city’s awesome restaurants and parks.

However, right now it is the simple stuff I miss. Stuff I never loved. Sometimes I hated it. But it was what life in our great city is about — Crowded trains and the “entertainers” that ride them, tourists having no idea where they are when they are Times Square and not knowing how to walk in the city.

I cannot wait until we are given back the things that daily we took for granted. Nothing beats a great slice and then heading over to Luna Park to ride the Cyclone. Let’s get rid of this cyclone and get back to the one we love. Give me these small things. That’d be such a step forward. Hopefully, then the bigger things follow.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“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

 

 

 

 

Hopefully, you remember Maureen’s line at Angel’s funeral during “Rent,” “…so much more original then any of us…you’d find an old table cloth on the street and make a dress…and next year, sure enough — they’d be mass producing them at the Gap.”

As we know, Angel died of the epidemic that continues today — AIDS. Recently the Covid-19 pandemic has grabbed the headlines. For the record, I doubt my new fashion ensembles will be massed produced at the Gap. I only wish.

I always paid very careful attention to how I dressed. But now sometimes I wear “business socks” with sweats or shorts. I don’t go out much. But even when I do, I go out this way. What are business socks? This goes back to when I went to Camp Pouch when I was 8 years old. I was at the archery range with my bow and arrow. I was pretty good. Not Robin Hood. But a good shot. One of the kids was wearing black dress socks with his shorts. Other kids yelled out he’s wearing business socks. Us kids decided fancy socks were business socks and white sweat socks were gym socks. Around that time, I became a loyal wearer of Jox Sox. Remember those? I had a connection. They still exist. Wearing them would be cool. But not as cool if they came from Thom McAn. Not happening.

Wearing business socks outside with shorts or sweats is a no no in my mind. But these days does it matter? I do it. Means I can wait a little longer till I have to do laundry. I am also just throwing on any color t-shirt with any color shorts or sweats.

I do admit when I get dressed perhaps for a business Zoom meeting or a religious service I go to my old school requirements, I match. I must admit for early morning services no one can see me passed my headshot.  So it really doesn’t matter how well I match. Do I need to? Not sure. On that note, I’ve dressed 8-year-old day camp style or business style. For the holiday or bigger services, I dress business style.

I have many baseball hats. They are all different colors. Some go better with blue. Some go better with green or black. For the record, a Yankees hat matches everything. That’s why I mostly wear that hat. But I do throw on camp and other hats. I just toss them on my head. These days, I don’t care how it looks with what else I’m wearing.

Did it ever?

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“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: Laundry,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/pandemic-watch-laundry

“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

 

 

 

A few years ago, they put two park benches in front of my building. I cringed. I was worried about who would sit there. How they would look? What would it do to the character of my building?

I thought back to my Sheepshead Days when I was about five. I remember people sitting on their stoops or benches in front of their homes. You’d see old men without shirts and their wives in their housedresses. And the shmatas on their heads were not a pretty sight. I remember the comments my mom would make as we walked by.

I always swore I’d never do that. Once I did. I played ultimate Frisbee in Marine Park with a group of guys on a reunion day. Many of us hadn’t seen each other in years. After our game, we went back to someone’s house and sat on the stoop. We had a beer and some chips. We listened to music. Likely we were listening to the Ramones.

Then we walked over to Buckley’s on Avenue S for dinner. It was fun. Of course, we were and still are much younger than the type of stoop sitters I mentioned.

Over the last few years, I walked by the bench of my building. Often sitting on one was an older man with a book. He seemed so peaceful. He was nose deep in his reading. Next to him was his bottle of water and a Smartphone. Many times while walking to and from the subway I saw him. To tell you the truth, it was nice.

These days with the parks closed and people social distancing I don’t see anyone on the benches. However, as the weather’s been changing the benches outside of Yellowstone Municipal Park have been filling up. People are sitting there like the old days. Some are wearing PPE. Some are not. People are sitting on their building’s benches or their stoops.

It is nice to see people able to get on with their lives. It is nice to see people getting the chance to enjoy the small things like sitting on their stoop with a book or Kindle.

 

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“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

Alana managed to untie Jerry. Marc had his arms in bandages and gave him water. They had to get him to the hospital. They needed to get the police involved. The screams they heard were getting louder, as they started carrying him from the throne.

Jay burst out of the darkened woods. He was stoned and drunk. Marc recognized him. He was one of the real crazies in camp. He eventually got kicked out. He wasn’t in Marc’s unit. The guy was rotten to the core.

Jay started screaming and told them to hand over Jerry. Alana started shooting apples and figs. Marc while holding Jerry launched pomegranates. Alana and Marc started firing off honey and wine.

Jay stood there.

All of a sudden out if his eyes came shards of glass. They Marc jumped away. Alana blocked them with apples. Jay was screaming, “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.”

Marc tossed Jerry over to Alana. He went for Jay. He kicked him in the head. In response, Jay shot glass at Marc. It slashed his left arm. Marc took a step back. Alana fired a bevy of apples. One nailed Jerry in the eye. Marc shot honey up Jay’s nose.

Jay started to cough.

Alana shot wine out of her eyes like a firehose. Jay stumbled. Marc launched barley at his eyes and ears. He followed up with honey. He was doing all of this while holding Jerry.

Marc knew the trails better than anyone. He told Alana to follow him. They went the long way toward where the old dining hall used to be. They ran at full speed.

They made it to Alana’s car. Jay was racing at full speed behind them. She unlocked the doors. Marc got in with Jerry. Alana started driving while cranking the B52s. The dirt roads had many rocks and holes.

Jay was trailing and shooting glass at the tires.

While Alana was driving out of camp they weren’t sure how’d they explain their war with Jay to the Narrowsburg Police. Alana knows Anat saw her take out Diane. She knows Anat was there when the NYPD arrived. Simultaneously they asked each other should they contact Anat?

Alana drove toward the hospital. Jay fainted at the edge of the camp’s gateway.

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