Pandemic Panic

What am I supposed to do? I mean, under the current circumstances, I dare not venture out the front door to the mall or out to a restaurant or grocery shopping. Certainly not without the possible consequences. Yes, I take precautions when I do go out. 1. I wear a mask when anywhere near others. 2. I shop only to buy groceries during the posted times for seniors and those at highest risk for the virus. 3. I do not go to any food establishment that does not offer me take out, pick up, curbside pick up or drive through and even then it is only an occasional treat. 4. I shop for almost all other needs online. That means going through Amazon. It excludes going into hardware stores, notorious for, yes, having COVID protocols to "keep customers safe", but have you ever ventured into these "men's clubs"? Guys are noted, and it has been shown that they are the worst at wearing their masks and or wearing them properly. Give them an opportunity and they'll wear them under their noses, or chin and with little concern for others around them to keep an appropriate distance. My experience in Lowes has been that I spend my time being wary of guys who sidle up next to me looking for a similar item and with their masks worn inappropriately. It's their right you know. All we can do is ask them to do the right thing but if they believe the right thing for them is not to follow the rules, then to hell with you. A few months back, early in the pandemic I was in the local hardware store, Hardware Sales. I needed a few nuts and bolts for a boat project. I wandered into the nuts and bolts aisle which is low ceilinged and with ultra narrow aisles and it was crammed with guys shoulder to shoulder doing the same thing I was there to do. I escaped without incident, as I remained well weeks after the incident. But I just can't bring myself to go back in there. I want to shop local. I want to support our struggling restaurants. My wife and I love nothing better than to go out for breakfast in one of our many favorite local breakfast shops. But how can we? The best we have come up with is the local Home Skillet restaurant where we can call ahead to order our favorite Big Green Mess or their Pork Tater Tot Hash. Oh man. Incredible but not to die for. Thankfully, the folks there have taken dramatic steps to make the experience safe. Sadly, in order to keep their establishment open, the have had to take drastic steps where their employees are concerned. So, my solution of choice has been to order groceries to be delivered. When they arrive we have a bottle of diluted bleach in a spray bottle at the ready and we wipe down everything before we bring it into the house. Then we wash our hands well and put the delivered items away. For other needed items, we have spent a lot of money ordering through Amazon. Packages are delivered to our front door and, once wiped down, they too can be opened and enjoyed. My pharmacy is online so all my meds come to my mailbox. Again, the package is wiped down and then opened. Thanksfully, Amazon is great about returns and, though we have seldom done it, we have found it easy to return items at our local Kohl's store. We go in on Wednesday morning when they first open for seniors and drop off the item. Never anyone there and we only come in contact with the person who accepts our package. Both the clerk and I are wearing masks and the transaction is momentary and I head right back out the door to my car. I haven't been in any other stores at our mall for probably a year. I didn't much care for the mall before the pandemic. I don't know what shops may even still exist. I imagine there are probably more empty store fronts than there was the last time I did venture through the mall doors. Personally, I don't much care. I know these shops employee a lot people who are now either unemployed or had to find new jobs, but not much can be done about that situation until the pandemic is ended. Since businesses and our current government have seen fit to put business before the health of our citizens, well, we are just going to be stuck in a never ending spiral of death and an economy that continues to limp along. Of course, a vaccine could help end the situation but can't work until enough people see the benefits of taking the vaccine. If millions don't see the benefit or are convinced that it will somehow endanger their lives. . .well, then, the virus will continue to infect, cause misery to many and kill thousands of others. As for me, I'm ready to roll up my arm just as I have for all the other vaccines I have been given during my lifetime. Vaccines that kept me from getting so many killer diseases that, before the vaccine was created, killed or maimed so many around the world and continue to in many poor nations. So, what do we do? Millions of Americans are at risk of being evicted from their homes, they have lost their livelyhood and simply can't afford to live. Meanwhile, the current government plays their violins while the country burns to the ground. I believe our way of life is at risk. More and more homeless out on the streets can only build to a boiling point. People with nothing left to loose at some point won't care if they break laws. If it puts food in their family's mouths or gives them shelter, then, they will do it. I don't know where that tippng point lies but it is out there. And don't we have enough folks out on the street now that we mostly ignore? Are we going to ask our law enforcement to continue evicting families at a rate way above the normal numbers? Are we going to ask them to arrest or confront the growing homeless numbers with possible dire consequences? I believe we need to look at how our economy operates. As it current operates, it doesn't see a need to reach out to those who are being evicted, nor does it address the needs of those who own the property from which those folks are being evicted. The landlords can't afford to loose rent from tenants or they risk losing their property and income. It is a domino effect. This is true of so many other situations in our economy, which indicates to me that our economy is not responsive to the current needs of our citizens. I'm fine. At least for now. I'm retired, have an excellent retirement income that will take care of me for the rest of my life. Investments, Social Security and pensions will all make me comfortable the rest of my life. So, the economy works for me, so far. But, of course, there is always the possibilty of some event down the road that causes the economy to collapse (I know, let's try to be positive). And, of course, if that happened it would mean the whole country would be in trouble. I am not at all an economist and have no clue what would happen if any of my suggestions were used, but, if we don't start looking down the road soon, it will be full of even more pot holes. Let's pass a bill to offer higher unemployment salaries to folks who are unemployeed through no fault of their own...but, let's put those folks to work. Remember the WPA and programs like back in the 1930's. Don't just give folks money and let them sit on their butts. Give them a task to earn it. I heard from friends who were angry after the last bailout that they couldn't get people to come to work for them because they made more being unemployeed. Bad idea. Put 'em to work. Homelessness? Let's have some of those unemployed folks go to work building basic housing for those who are homeless. Sort along the lines of the Habitat for Humanity program. Or, perhaps go the route of the Tiny House movement. We long ago started building homes WAY to large for the needs of the average American. I grew up in a lower middle class neighborhood and a home that was a 3 bedroom, one bath home. No family room. It was plenty of room for our family of 6. The boys shared a bedroom and the girls did too. It all worked out and, though we knew people who lived in what we thought of as "mansions" it never occured to us that we were missing out on anything. Landlords and business owners who are also struggling. Here I must say I am not sure how to address their specific issues. Perhaps the goverment could offer money to keep these businesses going. How that might look, I am sure small business owners would probably have some great suggestions. Anyhow, for me, the near future will continue to be to support local business as I can knowing that my front porch is going to be a stop for FedEx and UPS for some time.