Twelve days ago was \u201cSuper Tuesday\u201d. Joe Biden won big, ten states to Bernie Sanders\u2019 four. And even Sanders\u2019 win in the \u201cbig enchilada,\u201d California, was close, earning him only forty-seven more delegates than Biden, 211 to 163. Super Tuesday results changed the entire course of the Democratic nominating process, followed up by Biden\u2019s strong results this past Tuesday in Michigan, Missouri, and three other states. Sanders managed to win only one, North Dakota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was the \u201cbig deal\u201d last week, the week before the United States confronted the Corona-Virus head on. And the elections, and life, go on, despite all of the \u201coxygen\u201d in our lives taken up by this ultimate health crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My wife is \u201cfostering\u201d a rescued dog. She named the eight-year old \u201cBandit,\u201d and he came to the house three weeks ago in sad shape. His back legs hardly worked, his ears were so filled with infection the he couldn\u2019t hear, and he had other skin infections and probably worms. He was a mess from months wandering outside. Before there was the corona-virus quarantine, Jenn was quarantined here in the house, giving intensive care to Bandit. This coming Tuesday he goes for an MRI and possible spinal surgery to determine his fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he has improved under Jenn\u2019s care. He\u2019s standing better, eating regular dog food, and finally sleeping more than two hours at a time. He\u2019s good enough, that Jenn could actually leave the house for a few hours without worrying. Since Tuesday is Bandit\u2019s big day at the veterinary hospital, we decided to go cast our primary votes at the County Board of Elections in Newark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the first Saturday of \u201csocial-distancing\u201d to slow down the course of the corona-virus. Folks here in Licking County seem to be taking that seriously. The roads weren\u2019t as crowded as usual. When we arrived at the Board of Elections, there wasn\u2019t a line, even though this was the only place to cast early ballots on Saturday morning. We walked straight in, got our \u201cnew\u201d optical ballot from the clerk, and voted. I complimented the clerks on the new apparatus, not only is there an actual paper ballot printed, but you can visually check your votes to make sure there are no mistakes. Licking County seems ahead of the voting curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We were out, Jenn for the first time in weeks. So we went to lunch at a local pub. It was a little early, but we didn\u2019t expect to be the only customers in the place. It gave us a chance to talk to the staff over our burgers. This was their new \u201creality\u201d of business, a few customers but many open tables. It was supposed to be a Saturday of NCAA basketball finals with the bar packed. Today the bartender was straightening out the bottles on the top shelf; no one was looking for a drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Saint Patrick\u2019s Day weekend, America\u2019s excuse to drink Guinness beer and Jamison\u2019s Irish whiskey. But it\u2019s not happening, folks are staying home, and no one is getting a tip for good service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s going to happen to these restaurants? One of our favorite spots in Cleveland, Nighttown, has closed its doors for a month. The workers are laid off, told to collect unemployment. Other restaurants are shortening their hours, and soon will start cutting back on employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Investors have been anticipating a recession for months, but Corona-Virus has sealed the deal. It\u2019s not just the stock market, down twenty percent, 6000 points in the past month. It\u2019s those bartenders and waiters, standing around at the restaurant, talking nervously to the few customers. Food comes out fast, and drinks are never empty. But these folks won\u2019t be working for long. When the government says that they\u2019ll take care of those hurt by the epidemic, I hope these guys are in the front of the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know we\u2019ve got to practice \u201csocial distancing\u201d. My substitute-teaching job has turned into developing materials for \u201conline education\u201d. Kids are going to check-in online, get their assignments, and then put them in the \u201cdrop-box\u201d to be graded. It\u2019s a \u201cbrave new world\u201d of teaching, one that puts us all out of harm\u2019s way. And if you study the \u201cflattened\u201d curve of disease, it\u2019s going to last for months. So get used to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But don\u2019t forget all those folks who are going to lose out. Not just kids who will miss the personal contact, but people who will lose their jobs because we are all hiding from the virus in our homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if you go out to eat, leave a big tip. They need it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"