The Perils of Home
When I left the US to attend JoCo Cruise earlier this month, I didn’t realize I would be returning to chaos. The Sunday before I embarked, I even looked at my shopping list and said “Toilet paper’s written down, but I can wait until next week.” Haha no, past-Jackii, you can’t.
Despite being on a cruise, going through Port Everglades (which had several employees test positive while we were asea), and being crowded into FLL airport with a bunch of coughing, sneezing dummies who also just got off cruises, I was told to come into work on Monday, where I would be in close contact with three people in their 70’s.
I always get sick on cruises. On any trip, really. Honestly, I get sick if I go to the theater or an arena or a convention too, so, obviously something is wrong with me. After contracting some kind of terrible respiratory thing after last year’s JCC, I bought a face mask in preparation for this year. I was the only person wearing a mask at CVG on the way to Florida, and I was only one of three or four people wearing a mask on the way home. Every seat in the Delta waiting area in Fort Lauderdale was taken, and even the Skylounge was at capacity. There was no way to enforce social distancing; we were basically on top of one another.
I told work about this, and they weren’t worried. You see, if I didn’t come in to work, that meant that someone else would have to do what I usually do, and—for them—the very real threat of doing more work outweighed the mere potential of contracting the coronavirus, so I went in.
Thursday, I learned that the CDC put me at Warning Level 3 and I was supposed to stay home for 14 days following return from a cruise. Work did not like this, but agreed, and I left. On my way out, I was told to “try to come in Friday, since it’s the busiest day.” Friday is still within the 14-day isolation period.
We’re on lockdown now. We found toilet paper and distilled water, and our favorite local restaurants have begun delivering and doing curbside pickup. Lockdown is supposed to lift April 6, but I know I’ll be required to go in to work as soon as the CDC-recommended 14 days is over. I’d like to say that, in the meantime, I’ve been very productive, reading and writing. I would even like to say that I’ve spent this time playing video games. I have done none of those things. Not productive, but not playing video games. I’m not sure what I’ve been doing so far. I got a hydroponic garden and spend an obscene amount of time staring at the little seedlings, willing them into sprouts. That seems like the best use of my time, until life gets back on track—not back to normal, I know it’ll all change on the other side. But, back to a kind of routine.