I was subjected to this conversation in the waiting area of a medical center this week because I had to finally have my overdue appointment with my neurologist. Unfortunately, it is a shared waiting space with another practice in the same conglomerate, but physical distancing was possible. Audible distancing was not, however, so while I filled out some repetitive and useless forms, I could not help but overhear this discussion between a woman (probably in her sixties) and her elderly mother, who was the patient. We join it as I did, already in progress.
Daughter: It's the destruction that I don't get. Why destroy everything?
Mother: Well, what'll they come for next? Disney World? Disneyland?
Daughter: It's better ways to get your point across is all I'm sayin'. (at this moment, I glanced up from my forms and she looked my way) That's my personal opinion.
Mother: Have you thought about supper?
Daughter: I want to get stuff cleaned out of that fridge. Pulled pork. The rest of that potato salad.
Mother: There's not nary enough of that potato salad for more'n two people.
Daughter: Well, we're gettin' rid of all of that stuff. I have a delivery comin' tomorrow. I sure will be glad when I can just go wherever I want to go whenever I want to go. It sure would be nice to travel. Get back down to South Carolina.
Mother: It's down in South Carolina, too. The virus is all over the country. It's everywhere.
Daughter: I know. (big sigh) At some point, you just gotta live your life, you know? You just gotta live your life. That's just how I feel about it.
(Both pause while they consider this philosophy)
Daughter: Dogs are lucky, though! They already have a vaccine for the Covid.
Mother: What?! Are you serious?
Daughter: Yep. Says so right on the package: protects against fleas, ticks, heartworm, and the Covid. Course it's not the same Covid as we humans get, but it's still the Covid.
Mother: Well, I'll be. Course isn't everyone worried now about the H1N1 coming now, too?
Daughter: And the Ebola! But those are in Africa right now. OF COURSE. That's where it all starts.
Mother: (shakes head) Like we don't have enough goin' on right here, right now.
It was at this point that I finished my paperwork, so I took it up to the window. When I came back, it was mere moments before I was called in to my appointment. As usual, it was delightful; Dr. B. and I dispensed with the business end of my visit quickly and efficiently and spent a good long while chatting about other more pleasant things. He continues to be a light in my life.
But my time in the waiting room impressed upon me that my vote just got more important. Smart people everywhere need to vote.
THE Covid! I do love that way of referring to coronavirus. It reminds me of my childhood when people used to say "Henry got THE sugar" when Henry was diagnosed with diabetes. Your overheard conversation makes an excellent case for why voting will be so important this fall. Interesting conversation.
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--I remember that, too. And I wonder if it is a certain age or dialectical propensity for putting THE in front of nouns.
DeleteThere was so much plain ignorance on so many subjects in that small conversation, it was staggering.
Oh that sounded like a dreadful earful. SORRY!!!!! Nance...glad your doctor is worth it!!!!!
ReplyDeletekathy b--My neurologist is very much worth it. He is a treasure.
DeleteWaiting rooms are the worst! Stupid sure does burn. The Covid! Really??
ReplyDeleteVera--Really. Among other things. Sigh.
DeleteMy FB friends generally don't dispense stupid in the comments of MY posts (nice of them because I hate conflict, but would still feel compelled to argue with them), but it doesn't stop them from saying ridiculous things on other peoples' posts. For the most part, did you know, the COVID is a government plot of some kind? It's not at all as bad as it's being portrayed, and anyway, we need herd immunity so I'm not going to wear a mask. MURICA!
ReplyDeleteIt's astounding and terrifying and good LORD PLEASE VOTE!
Bug--I've heard of The Plan-demic, yes. And how Bill Gates is part of it, somehow, to gain control by microchipping everyone when a "vaccine" is finally available. (What is the strategy of it taking so long, I wonder?) And how 5G is somehow part of it. I mainly glean this information from the comments on some Yahoo! articles or other blogs that I stumble upon. It's scary.
DeleteOur county recently became a Level 3, which means mandatory masking in public. BUT--there is no fine or criminal offense tied to not masking. It's so pathetic and ridiculous.
I saw a video the other day of a man interviewing Trump supporters and it was scary the stuff they really believe. I worry about our country and our future. I hope voting helps but they will all still be out there - spewing their hate and their stupid conspiracies. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteEllen D--You're so right that they will still be out there. Voting for change won't make them magically disappear. But it will put the right leadership in place to validate the right thinking and the right ethics. The fringe will be, hopefully, back on the fringe and we can regain some normalcy and dignity. Their hate and conspiracy will be the exception rather than the rule.
DeleteThe Covid?
ReplyDeleteOh my.
People are funny. Some are mean, but mostly some are just funny.
BB Suz--Yes, some people are funny, in their way.
DeleteAnd the really sad thing is....there are sooooooo many 'stupids' in this world!!! Vote vote vote vote. (Oh, I guess I can only vote once....!!!)
ReplyDeletesteph--You can only vote once, but vote really, really hard! LOL. And, if you can, work for change.
DeleteI am frustrated by Willful Ignorance. People who choose to be uninformed, who don't read or watch a credible news source, and who are living in their own selfish world.
Let's hope that many more people who are frustrated--like us--will show they've had enough and get to the polls in November.
We must encourage everyone we know to vote in November. As you have stated, it is more important now than it ever was...
ReplyDeleteSadly, masks can only protect us from expelled droplets, not from those who are expelling them. Glad to hear, you have a doctor that makes the trip worth while...
My hubby, thinks it's his duty to help all those poor, stupid folk out there. He tries his best to educate them. I walk away and pretend I don't know him; tired of the blinders folks are choosing to wear...
Wishing you and yours a safe, healthy and happy summer...
Denise--Bless your dear husband for giving it a try. How frustrated he must be!
DeleteI wish your family the same, my friend. Stay safe, and let's hope for some cooler weather (and some rain) soon.
I feel the same way - at some point, you just have to live your life. That's why I'm wearing a mask and not going anywhere I don't have to go. It's hard to live your life when you are dead.
ReplyDeleteBridget--Zing! Exactly.
DeleteAnd really, how hard is wearing the mask? Is it inconvenient? Yes. Uncomfortable? Yes. But turning it into this grandstand statement of so-called patriotic and Constitutional freedom is laughable and moronic.
This week I realized a young man at one of the houses I work at had been exposed to Covid at the office he works at, which was shut down for two weeks and they did not tell me or the other therapists entering the home that we were potentially being exposed to for days. They are big Trump supporters and do not think masks are necessary. I am beyond furious. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteMeredith--I'm so sorry; this must be a scary time for you. I'd be furious, too. It's astonishing, how deeply some people can be in denial. Take care.
Deleteweeping sadly. We have them here too.
ReplyDeleteMary G--I know they're everywhere, but it seems they are largely concentrated here, thanks to the Dangerous Idiot/Their Leader currently squatting in our White House.
DeleteI know the US/Canada border will remain closed for some time now, and I fully understand why. My cellar is down to only about a case now, but I wouldn't let Americans in, either.
Alas, the Stupid Vote too... and their Moron-In-Chief just believed Game Show Love Connection Host over his own CDC... just sayin! *Rolling my Eyes dramatically since it gets to a new level of Crazier every day with this Administration!*
ReplyDeleteChuck Woolery over Anthony Fauci, I have no Words for that level of Stupid!
DeleteBohemian--Yes, the Ill-Informed and Willfully Stupid do vote. That's why the Smart People need to get out and vote as well, even if their Perfect Candidate may not be the one who gets the nomination. I just heard Larry Hogan, governor of Maryland (and a republican) say he is in the same position he was in 2016. He refuses to vote for 45*, but he can't vote for a Democrat. In 2016, he wrote in the name of his father. Duh. Wasted vote/vote for *45. We'll be right back where we started. Party Over Country level of Stupid.
DeleteSo then if he doesn't vote it's still a vote for Don Corona correct? You can't fix stupid.
DeleteThe sad thing is, there will never be a vaccine for willfully stupid.
ReplyDeleteSilver--Even if there were, they would refuse it. Many, if not most, are anti-vaxxers.
DeletePeople are exhausting, aren’t they? Frustrating too. I’m glad you vote. Purple states need smart people the most. Maybe we should move to Ohio so we can help out...
ReplyDeleteJ@jj.--Sometimes, I find people quite charming and quirky. These days, Ohio is so damn Red that I get testy and annoyed. And massively disappointed.
DeleteOhio has its blue districts and counties, but the vast majority of its heartland is Red, Red, Red. The rural areas keep supporting *45, mainly because they are fox news viewers, or they get their news from facebook or don't bother with news at all. It's so frustrating.