Crisis in a Small Town

Bad News at the Door Step

If you listen to the news, this week it seems all depressingly the same.  Social distancing, washing hands, flattening curves, an exponential crisis:  everywhere you turn you’re being warned.  Here in Ohio the schools, restaurants, bars, casinos, racinos (yep, there’s a difference) fitness clubs, and even my dentist’s office are all closed.  When you run into people, out on the street or at the grocery store, they look a little guilty:  I’m not in my house; is my excuse to be out “good” enough?  

Pataskala, Ohio is dealing with the corona-virus crisis just like everyone else.  We’ve had our bad moments.  There supposedly was a fight in the local grocery store:  one man took three packages of toilet paper when he was only allowed to have two, another took the last package left, and wanted the extra.  There were words, and a shoving match, and someone else had to intervene to stop something worse.

It’s odd:  why toilet paper?  How did that become the symbolic product shortage of the corona-virus, a disease of the lungs?  Sure, they’ve run out of bacterial wipes, and paper towels, but toilet paper?  And why is everyone convinced that there will be shortages, that somehow they will be ordered into their homes with no way out?  But that’s where Pataskala’s residents are.  If you want white bread, you’re probably out of luck.  Good thing I like rye!

Back to School

I picked a great time to get back into education.  As the “long-term sub” for a middle school social studies teacher, I was just getting my legs (and voice) back when schools were closed.  Now, this “old dog” is going to have to learn a lot of new tricks.  Education isn’t going to stop:  there’s a whole new world in “Google Classroom” where students and teachers can interact and learn.  Good thing we were supposed to have spring break next week, I can buy some time to figure out how to make all this happen.  

Republican Governor Mike DeWine will probably never get my vote, but he absolutely has earned my respect.  His handling of the crisis has been forthright and honest, and he is willing to make the tough decisions that might save lives here in Ohio.  He rolled out his “plan” over several days, not wanting to “nail” Ohioans with too much at one time.  Sure schools are closed until after April 3^rd, but I would bet as we get closer, schools will remain shuttered much longer.  He’s just in no hurry to deliver one more piece of bad news.

So the staff at the school will learn how to educate from a “social” distance, via computer.  They’ve already picked up the challenge, and many have offered to help an old “chalk” teacher with the new technology.  I’ll get it, and if needs be, we can teach for the rest of the year.  I’ll miss the contact, and the discussions, but that’s the one thing we can’t have for a while.

Good Cops

By the way, since all the kids are at home, some parents are frantic.  They have to work, and the school and the YMCA and the library are all closed. There’s nowhere for their kids to go.  The Pataskala Police Department has offered to stop by and check on them; just give them the address and your phone number.  “Wellness checks” are something they’re happy to do: making sure that young teens are OK at home is a great service to our community.

Good Friends

As I’ve noted before, Pataskala is the home to more pizza shops than almost anything else (well, there’s a lot of car parts places too).  There are also several restaurants of one kind or another, a Chinese carryout, two Mexican places, and a number of bars that serve food.  But the governor has ordered all restaurants closed, carryout or delivery only.  

Members of the community are putting the local menus online, and encouraging folks to buy some local carryout food at least once a week.  The big businesses, the chain restaurants will probably be all right, but places like the Nutcracker and Ziggys and the “hallowed” local pizza place, Capuanos, will need community support to survive the crisis.  I believe that they’ll get all the help they need – it’s just too bad Ziggys can’t carryout beer.

Speaking of beer, even the local brewery, the Granville Brewery, is closed.  But I heard they’ll fill your growlers for you if you need it, you just can’t sit at the bar!!

There’s lots of grousing and grumbling:  no one around here is sick – yet.  But there’s also an underlying fear, of what might happen, if not to you, then to someone you love.  It seems that things will get much worse before they begin to get better.  But Pataskala, with all its flaws, will stand together to help each other.  Neighbors will check on neighbors, and friends with friends.  

They might even loan you a roll of toilet paper.