Baby Steps

Michael and I have not ventured out since the stay-at-home order was given, but Truck needed fuel so we went down to Mt. Aukum, the necessary precursor to a trip to town.  Baby steps, as it were.  It really is a strange new world out there.  Except for Neighbor Joe, who jogs on our little dirt road regularly, I could go a year and not see anyone walking on the "big road."  Yesterday I passed singles with their dog, couples, and a group of five or so walking along our country roads.  You could tell that these people were actually talking to each other.  Thankfully, the morning rain had stopped and allowed escape from the four-walled prisons called home.

Sometime back Mt. Aukum changed their policy at the gas station.  Now one pulls up to the pump, gets out, goes inside and either pays in advance or, in the case of a fill up, promises not to drive off without paying before they'll turn on the pump.  There was a car ahead of me so we waited.  Evidently the woman was also doing a bit of shopping at the time.  She came out with her purchases and still had to get gas.  Oh well, I thankfully didn't have anywhere else to go.  Rolling down the window, I watched as she carefully used wipes to clean the pump handle, etc., and I told her I was proud of her to take such care.  I also teased her, saying I saw she had bought the essentials, a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer.  We got to talking (no one was behind me in line) about this virus situation, and I mentioned she was lucky to have wipes.  "Oh, you don't have any?  Here, take this container.  I've only used about four or five, so it's full."  "Hey, you need it!"  "No, really, I have three more at home.  Please take it and stay well."  What can you say about such an act of kindness?

My neighbor Bruce came out of the store, saw my truck, and came up to say hi (at a distance).  "If you need anything, help or anything at all, just call me."  Being a chef, he is considered an essential worker and works long hours.  His offer was much appreciated, knowing he had other demands on his time.

Instead of getting cranky, it seems people are "in this together."  They are taking baby steps into a "kinder, gentler nation" (George H. W. Bush, 1988).  That could be the only good thing to come out of a bad situation.

Stay well.  Be safe.