Travel, confusion, cancellation

For the second week in a row, I spent the week on the road teaching. Leaving on Tuesday and flying home Friday. For the second Friday in a row, I was on a very early flight home. After getting to the airport in Richmond, VA at 5 am Eastern time, 4 am Texas time, I got into DFW at about 9:30 local time. This time I drove home before going to the office. I had to use one of the suitcases I carried with me on this trip to put my clothes into since I was required to check two bags to carry the books and class materials for the two classes I taught last week. On the travel over to Richmond, I loaded the two suitcases to forty-nine pounds each. Even with that, I had to put some of the class materials in my computer bag as well as load about fifteen pounds worth into a backpack. I was much lighter coming home, but I did not want to unload my personal items at work. Hence, the trip home before work. After eating a quick lunch with Mama, I decided to text my boss to see if I actually need to go to the office. By that time, it was 2 pm. I was quickly given permission to stay home. I was happy to do so.

Becky Mike and Bridgette drove over Friday night. We had a great visit with them. After breakfast, Mama and Becky went to Bridgeport to a meeting for Mama’s new business, Color Street. Becky was very interested, so she and Mama had a really good time at that meeting. From the follow up discussions when they got home, I assume the meeting dealt mostly with the business model versus the product offered. Becky won a door prize. That thrilled her. Mike and I stayed at the farm and watched Bridgette play. They were slated to visit Grandma and Grandpa but Norman scared Grandma and Grandpa by telling them that Arkansas – where Becky and Mile traveled from – was seriously infected with Coronavirus. Not true, but the seed was planted, and Grandma and Grandpa declined to have them over. So, we spent the time at the farm. Bridgette spent the night with us. Becky and Mike met us at church Sunday morning. It was a good visit in spite of the extremely wet conditions. They left after lunch Sunday afternoon. Becky and Mike made the most of being in Texas since the stores and restaurants in Hot Springs are closed due to the virus scare.

With the declaration of a pandemic, confusion has taken hold of our nation. Even though this virus is far less infectious and far less fatal than the Swing Flu (H1N1) that hit the US in 2009, the political nature of the coverage of the virus, makes it difficult to know exactly what to do. Are we acting appropriately? Are we overreacting? The hyped-up message being presented only adds to the confusion. I do know that we do not need to horde supplies. We will have enough to go around. Those who bought out stocks in store with the express purpose of selling those supplies at a much higher price will be hindered from doing so as well as risk prosecution. Get what you need plus a little extra. Everyone who goes beyond that will eventually feel foolish. They will have wasted their money. We will get through this. Though it is hard to tell, we have actually seen far worse pandemics but never has anything been so thoroughly misrepresented. In 2009, the Swine Flu infested 60 million, hospitalized 300,000 and killed 13,000 in the US. Don’t remember that? The media made very light if it at the time to protect the Obama administration. As of this morning, the US death toll is at 69. Only 3,800 confirmed cases of infection nationwide. Are we overreacting? Probably.

Case in point. Ben Muldoon spent the night with us last night so that I could take him to the airport this morning. He had a very early flight scheduled. Late in the evening he got work that Honduras, his destination, had closed its borders. Since he had not gotten confirmation that his flight was cancelled, we planned to get up at the necessary time (3:45 am) to take him to the airport and see if the flight was still leaving. Sadly, the flight was cancelled. Honduras has limited resources to deal with a major illness of any kind. I am not sure how many cases of the current virus they have encountered, but they cannot take any chances which would allow them to suffer the near certain fatality of those who in our medical system would easily recover. The fact that the City of El Progresso (where Cori and Nate live) shut down the power grid yesterday, is a testament to their resolve to limit gatherings to curb the potential of infection among their populous.  Are they wrong in their response? We will never really know, but kudos to the leadership for assessing and delivering a response.

This too shall pass. Don’t be foolish, but do not fall prey to the panic being promoted.