Midnight Ramble: In the Heat of....

... the hot, sweaty, panting dog days and tortured, sleepless nights of Summer. Now throw some pandemic in there and slap on a mask. It makes for a lousy few months, doesn't it?

I'm sorry, where did my manners go? Good evening, Dear Reader! I hope you'll forgive my moodiness. I only love summer when I'm near water, and this year has been the driest of my entire life. It's been hot too, with no end to the triple digit days in the ten day forecast. I hope things are a little more tolerable where you are.



Online school started back up for my kids two weeks ago, and so far it's much more structured than how we ended last school year. Not having to go out in this ridiculous heat wave is one plus for distance learning! For now, we still have no foreseeable date for schools to open, and  I don't know how I'm going to feel about it when the time comes. I suppose it will depend heavily on when that particular when comes to pass.

As much as I know our children need the social interaction and parents need the childcare - I just don't think it's in any way safe to consider full reopening at all this fall. Maybe in January, if -- and only if -- we have either eliminated the threat through social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks, or we have a tested, effective vaccine.

Unfortunately, I don't think we'll have that vaccine by January. Aside from the fact these things just plain take TIME, the search for a vaccine for the common cold - which is caused by various viruses, including other strains of corona virus - has gone on for decades, to no avail. There is no effective vaccine for any of  the other corona viruses known to affect homo sapiens. Which leads me to think it's not going to be any different with this one. Someone will eventually prove me wrong, though it could be years before it happens. Believe me, I would love for it to happen tomorrow, but we have to be realistic.

It's important to remember, it did not have to be this way. It should not have been this way. Not in the United States of America. Not when our President had the power to close borders, to allow Americans to come home under quarantine, to close schools and public gathering spaces a month earlier. The NBA Commissioner was the first to take action, for crying out loud. We need to not forget that.

Our federal leadership had the information long before the public, and had it done its job, our kids might have safely returned to school on time. It is as simple as that. Ultimately, our president failed us. Our death toll, and decades of economic recovery that lie ahead, rest on his shoulders. He called the virus a hoax, said when we were at fifteen cases we would soon be at zero-- And, he is already doing everything in his power to attempt to shift the blame from himself, while trying to take credit for any "relief" money or anything positive he can grasp onto to try to cling to his office.

I sometimes wonder if he even thinks about the fact his children and grandchildren will still be here when he's gone. Does he even care?

We should be worrying about climate change and social justice, and our kids should be in school. Instead, I am worrying about our neighbors refusing to wear masks and social distance, because they only listen to their party, regardless of who is running the show. I am worried about getting sick if I go to work. I am worried about getting my elderly parents - who should still have plenty of time - sick, and losing them too soon. I am worried about our kids getting a quality education online. Many people are worried about losing their homes. And many more of us are still worried about losing our lives.

We shouldn't have to be worried about any of this.Yet, here we are.

***

As for worrying about other worlds, I've been off course the last couple of weeks, but, I think I've righted my way again. The next chapter of Quest should be up Friday. There may be another excerpt from the Fore Shadows as well, but, I'm not promising anything!

Until next time, I wish you good health, and a beautiful night, day, or some time in the between.

~Roari