BY CATHERINE MCGUIRE
In the beginning, my trauma therapist hinted that he believed humanity as a whole was going through a traumatic experience. There is so much to talk about.
Experiencing the event. This is the part everyone remembers the most vividly. It’s the part people share when talking about the pandemic. It’s been about a month, you’ve heard about what’s happening on the other side of the country, how tragic for them. Whispers begin. Some were casually driving their car when the music on the radio stoped, an announcement was made. Others were wiping down the bar and laughing with a regular when one of the patrons points to the tv with a horrified expression, everyone goes quiet, the volume is turned up. “We’re getting shut down? People are dying here? The virus is in my city. Schools are closing. Masks are mandatory now. I need to go buy toilet paper and dog food right this second.” Hand sanitizer, dried milk, and canned foods are now precious commodities; the equivalent of beanie babies in the 90’s. It’s the time to become hyper vigilant.
“Masks, we need masks. Take off your shoes and clothes before entering your home. You got groceries? Sanitize them! Take a shower in isopropyl alcohol, and immediately inject bleach into every orifice(That last part was probably too facetious). We’re scared. People are dying, like really, actually, truly, and undoubtedly dying.” You’ve lost friends and family from the virus, a ceremony will take place later, when it’s safe. “We have to work together. Limit social gatherings, actually, just avoid social gatherings altogether. Grocery stores, go ahead and start offering curbside pickup. We need to protect our loved ones that are still around. It’s good that the bars closed as soon as they did. We’re going to get through this, it’s going to be ok.”
Attempting to cope. “Let’s get drunk at the park. Drunk at home. Whatever it takes to numb the reality and make the intrusive thoughts of lost friends and loved ones stop.” You try but it’s still consuming you. Guilt sets in, what if you accidentally contracted it and are now a source of the spread. What else can be done to stop the feelings? Obsessive reading, check. Obsessive exercising, check. The housework, crafting, and renovation projects fly by. Maybe it’s time to learn how to bake bread. The poor dogs and cats of the world are mentally and physically exhausted from all of the attention.
Conspiracy theories begin to circulate on social media via memes and propaganda blogs. “Hey, you guys, the media is tanking and looking to get their ratings up, Trump mishaps and mass shooters can only satiate the interest of the public for so long, right? I think it’s aliens. People aren’t actually dying, the numbers are inflated. The democrats are behind it, probably Obama. The masks are only a tool in which to control the masses and take away our rights. How unconstitutional. Maybe it’s because of some sort of identity stealing software? I know someone that barely had any symptoms, so it’s not that bad. The tests are implanting microchips in our brains. I’m not a sheep, maskers are the sheep ‘bahhh’. You know, China invented this in a lab to destroy the United States. The vaccines will kill you, I saw someone post on social media about it, so it’s definitely true. What? They’re censoring us now, they don’t want the truth out there.”
Businesses begin to open back up. It’s slow at first but the restrictions are lifted one by one. Unfortunately, attacks on innocents start. The nuts are becoming restless. “I don’t care about your company policy!! This is a free country! I have a right to be in your private business on private property. I swear to Fox, I’ll cough on your face and call the cops if you ask me to wear a mask because it’s an infringement on my rights! You can’t tell me to leave this establishment. Get out of my country!” Social unrest is rampant now, physical altercations, shootings, violent protests.
Don’t try to reason with those people, they are too far gone. They think they’re being superior intellectually and that the professionals know less than them. They’ve forgotten the beginning and the rabbit hole consumed them. The world might never go back to normal, but maybe it will. The numbers are dropping. We need to stay vigilant if we want this to end.
End.
