We were nonstop in the morning. Then they sent us to cover a suburban town. From the radio, I could hear the city was still busy. We parked next to a small basketball court that no one ever plays at. Since they shut down all the hoops in my hometown, I have been coming here on off days with my daughter, and I bring my basketball to work hoping to get sent out here to cover the town. I work on my free throws and three point shots while I wait for a 911 call to come in. No sooner did I get there today that the cavalry --the town rec department--arrived and, with apologies to me, they put boards across the hoops, per edict of the mayor. At least they let me make my last shot. I texted my daughter that our court was shut down, and she replied "Noooooooooo!"
My wife is officially on home isolation now. She needed me to get her a thermometer and so my partner and I drove all over town to all the big pharmacy chains, but no one had any. I tried Amazon, but they couldn’t promise a delivery until the middle of April. I finally found one at a 7-11, hidden behind the cold medicine. I was able to find a pulse oximeter at Walgreens, which was shocking as I had also tried that on Amazon and the delivery date for those was not until May or June.
Things were going my way. I got the idea to check the Catholic schools in town for basketball hoops, and BINGO - I found one with a hoop against the back brick wall. I texted my daughter again that I had found a new court for us. Thank goodness for the Catholic Schools, I wrote. She texted back with the prayer emoji.
Back in the game.
It was such a beautiful day like so many of the days lately.
I can’t wait for this time of Corona to end.
At home, we talked some about Corona, but I cut it off, as I can only take so much of it. Let’s watch a fun movie. I could tell my youngest daughter was troubled when instead of focusing on the TV, I saw her sitting there, just looking into herself. After a few minutes she got up and went into the kitchen. I asked what she was doing, but she didn’t respond. I sent her sister after her, but she didn’t come back either, leaving me alone watching the movie. I could hear sounds from the kitchen, and then twenty minutes later, my youngest daughter came back out carrying me a glass of mango bubble tea that she had made -- an elaborate effort that includes cooking tapioca pearls and combining ice and mango powder mix and milk in a blender. She had made one for her mom too. I told her how good it was, how special a treat.
Later, when she lay in bed, I went in and talked to her. She said, “I’m worried about Mom.” I told her her mom was tough and she would be all right. Before we knew it, her mom and I would be watching her play softball on the town fields again, cheering her and her team on.
She smiled and then asked me to give her a back rub. I started with a message, then did karate chops. Then she asked me to itch her back, which I don’t understand, but she seems to like it. She sticks her thumb out as I do it, directing me. This way. That way. Up. Down. Over. Back.
Then she thanked me and I kissed her good night and she told me she loved me. I told her the same.
I turned the light out and went back out into the hall. I stood outside her room, while he said her prayers.
Then I got in bed by myself, and lay there in the dark, listening to the sound of a cough from a different room. I’m worried about her mom, too.
