Stay Safe and Sound

Stay Safe and Sound.

24^th of March, 2020.

It was what, a few weeks ago now, maybe a month, that between the football banter and who to swap in the Works Fantasy Team, that Ross started to quote the daily figures straight off his mobile – of this Coronavirus thing, which was spreading across China, amidst images of people being forcibly pushed back into their homes by the authorities whilst we filled sports stadiums as I attended Wales v Scotland. It seemed light years away. Everything was normal as can be.

What was at the fore-front of my mind was Liverpool. Always, always Liverpool. And our quest to finally land the League T**le; which was de-railed when Watford soundly, convincingly defeated us 3-0.

Still this thing seemed distant as it now had spread a tad closer to home in Italy and Spain, where as a sign of the times, football matches were being played behind closed doors. Nope, did not think for a moment it would happen here, in this little island.

Every day of course the death figures were rising, in their hundreds. People were finally starting to take notice. Still though we got on with our daily lives here. Shopping, watching the sport, being as close as possible to one another whilst in Italy people were already creating ghost town scenes reminiscent of an apocalyptic novel, as people could be seen standing on their flat balconies, singing and chatting to each other whilst we popped to Morrisons for a coffee and a bite to eat.

After Liverpool somehow managed to scrape a 2-1 win against Bournemouth, all that left them with was 3 more wins from their remaining 9 games. Surely even they could not let that opportunity pass them by? Then Man City lost to Man United 2-0, and for the first time in 6 years I got really excited and the dam burst – Liverpool only needed 2 more wins or 6 points or just 6 draws, from their remining 9 games. The ‘Ti’ the ‘Tit’ no, nope, no, my keyboard still will not allow me to type the word – but you surely catch my drift; ‘it’ was close (and still is).

Meanwhile, in the real world, the death rate was still rising as cases were alarmingly reported in the UK. In hindsight, which we all know is a wonderful thing, that should have been a loud crashing chandelier, ala, Del Boy, style sound to tell everyone to stop what they were doing and perhaps limit their movements.

Of course, life carried on as usual. Work, football, Morrisons, popping-in to see friends and so forth and so on. I mean, even the weather was and still is improving after all that bloody rain we’ve been deluged with this year – it seemed never ending, I mean, even last week I took the rare opportunity of sitting out the back garden for the first time in months; within half an hour it was too cold and I came in. Typical.

It really started to affect us in an ever so slight way in work when they told us that we could no longer us the hand scanners to clock-in, when they ushered us off our line in a small group and read the government communique about the symptoms of Covid – 19 and that our firm was facing an un-certain time – which was understandable as by now Trump was not letting any planes fly in or out of America. We were also advised to wash our hands longer than usual and fair do’s, hand sanitisers were put up at regular spaces, and plenty of them.

The other Saturday night, with me having missed Liverpool’s best performance of the season, by far, so I was reliably informed, as they lost 3-1 to Athletico Madrid in the Champions League (at Anfield!), I chatted to Davie and the first words we said began with ‘t’ and ended in ‘e’ as we feared Liverpool were just jinxed and would never maybe win it. The other 99 per cent of our conversation always related back in some way to the Covid – 19, because as much as we tried to escape from it; we could not and can’t because it is THAT serious.

People are dying. The NHS is under siege as much as Liverpool’s deadly attack can destroy a team all on their own. Never mind when the health service is trying to normally, somehow cope with everything else on a day -to -day basis, now they’ve got this thing to cope with. And not just them either, it’s people who also work in pharmacies who are stressed to the hilt. I seen it with my own eyes yesterday as people queued at least the regulatory 2 metres apart, in Griffithstown, halfway down the road to make it to the chemist. I only contemplated going in there for all of a mili-second. The reason being my brother had texted me requesting Imodium, to stop the runs, and I was going to kill him, never mind Covid – 19 because he had had all morning to ask me and now, less than 2 hours before I was due to go to work, he decided to ask me then, so it was panic stations! I eventually got him some tablets and felt awkward just being in the Co-op, never mind being near people. Suffice to say I duly delivered the tablets, pushing them through his letter box; he would’ve been there for me and did so, especially when I broke my nose a few years back, but that’s another story!

As I wrote yesterday, I am so glad that I got away for my birthday and that I seen my mum, rightly or wrongly for two hours, where we chatted – and in the coming days and weeks, I think that it was just as well that we spent that time together. Also, that it was a good idea for once (!!) of my brother’s that we had that early Mother’s Day meal, on the Sunday after Liverpool beat Bournemouth and I snaffled the Sunday Times report. We ate like Kings and Queens then; even the salad starter was more than my normal meal. I fear times of rationing on everything ahead as we just don’t know how long this thing will last as even as I’ve typed this my phone has buzzed to tell me that there is a possible second out-break in China.

Stay safe and Sound.

1082 24/3/20.