It was just another day. As I readied myself for the shot to protect against Covid-19, my first thought was about the weather; it was bright and sunny here in the Bay Area.
Last year, when I was researching a possible memoir, I reread the hand-written journals I'd kept for a half century. And one curious element that stood out to me was how many entries opened with a description of the weather on that date.
This struck me as odd. After all, I'm not a farmer or a truck driver so why should it particularly matter what the weather was like? The point of a journal is to record your thoughts, feelings and activities and in my case, the weather rarely affected any of those.
And yet, I always felt compelled to record it for posterity (a polite word for the elderly me) almost as if I might want to relive it all again someday.
***
Being targeted for a vaccination is just the latest reminder that I am officially an older person. Then again, there are active debates in various media organizations (especially public broadcasting) whether you should even use that phrase "older person."
It also turns out that you should think twice before calling them "senior citizens," or "the elderly" although I'm not exactly sure why. Obviously, "geezers" is a pejorative, as are terms of endearment if used by strangers, like "Pops, Grandpa or Old Man," so avoid those at all costs.
One report went so far as to suggest that you shouldn't refer to a person as "old" at all. The logic behind that is that as medical science advances, aging is a relative matter that varies case by case. And to label someone as old is presumed to suggest they may be somehow diminished in capacity. And that may not be the case.
Well, I don't know about any of that stuff, but being designated by my county as one of the first citizens to get the vaccine most definitely affirmed to me that I am "old," because I am not a front-line worker, nor would anyone say that what I do is essential for the public health.
So you can call me whatever you want, because I'm pretty much happy to be that thing that must not be spoken. Especially when one considers the alternatives.
***
At the intake door to the clinic in San Pablo, the man ahead of me did not have an appointment. A lady gave him sheet of paper about how to get one and told him to step aside.
So it was my turn. A very young woman greeted me and explained what would be happening next. But first she nodded at the man who didn't have an appointment.
"People show up all day without appointments. I feel sad for them."
"Do you work here eight hour shifts?" I asked.
"Yeah. It's pretty busy."
"Everything seems pretty relaxed."
"Yep, the old people are cool. Only the young people seem nervous. Some of them seem scared."
"I guess they have more at stake," I suggested. "You know, longer life expectancy and stuff like that."
She was silent a moment. "I'm a senior...
...in high school. You know, no graduation or parties or any of that stuff."
"I worry about you guys," I said. "You're missing so much."
"It's cool," she said. "At least I feel like I'm doing something about it."
***
Next it was time to get the shot.
All went smoothly; I didn't feel a thing.
But one palpable effect of getting vaccinated is the relief felt by my family members. I can only imagine what it must be like to carry the burden of worrying about an older loved one during this pandemic. Because the facts are indisputable -- roughly 80 percent of those who die of Covid are old.
Hopefully this is the start of a return to normal for them... .
***
The news:
* House Removes Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene From Her Committee Assignments (NPR)
* MacKenzie Scott and the Great Man theory of entrepreneurship (Medium) This is a terrific read -- (DW)
* Voting tech company Smartmatic files massive $2.7 billion libel suit filed against Fox News, Giuliani for election conspiracies. (CNN)
* Michael Regan, Biden’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, told lawmakers he would move swiftly to rein in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, repair the damage that the Trump administration inflicted at the federal agency and put environmental justice communities at the heart of the agency’s efforts. [HuffPost]
* Impeachment officials asked Trump to testify on his own behalf. (CNN)
* Trump rejects request to testify in Senate impeachment trial (WashPo)
* Americans' satisfaction with seven broad aspects of the way the country functions is collectively at its lowest in two decades of Gallup measurement. This includes satisfaction with the overall quality of life in the U.S., assessments of government, corporate and religious influence, and perceptions of the economic and moral climates. The average percentage satisfied with these seven dimensions has plunged to 39% at the start of 2021. That compares with 53% a year ago, the highest average in more than a decade amid strong economic confidence and before the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S. (Gallup)
* We can’t let one anarchic mob lead to the forever fencing-off of our arena of democracy (WashPo)* Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and other major automakers said they would no longer oppose California’s stricter fuel-economy standards. (NYT) |
* Inside the Shadowy Militias Luring Unsuspecting Afghans to Fight, or Die -- Afghanistan’s poor are being deceived into defending outposts from the Taliban, sometimes under the guise of construction work — a scheme partially bankrolled by the government. (NYT)
* In the Ozarks, the Pandemic Threatens a Fragile Musical Tradition -- The older fiddlers and rhythm guitar players don’t rely on sheet music, so their weekly jam sessions — now on hiatus — are critical to passing their technique to the next generation. (NYT)
* Modi’s Response to Farmer Protests in India Stirs Fears of a Pattern -- Critics say Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach to dissent increasingly involves stifling dissenting voices, blocking the internet and cracking down on journalists. (NYT)
* Court Faults France Over ‘Ecological Damage’ From Its Emissions Levels -- A Paris court said the French state had failed to meet its commitments on greenhouse gas emissions. The lawsuit is among a growing number of such legal actions internationally. (NYT)
* Flower In Bucket Nearest To Grocery Checkout Deemed Girlfriend’s Favorite (The Onion)
No comments:
Post a Comment