Social Distancing the Melbourne Way

I walked to my local shops today and witnessed people elbow-bumping. It looked natural, as if they’d been doing it their whole lives. I guess that’s part of our new lifestyle. Meanwhile, as I revise my latest novel, I’m struck by how many times my characters hug or shake hands. Will people read this and say, “Clearly, that was written pre-C19”?

I went to the supermarket and faced mostly empty shelves. But meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and most importantly, Tim Tams, were still available. All good. That was what I was after – the fresh veg, of course, not the Tim Tams!

The store has implemented a card-only payment system to avoid handling cash. No drama. I have a card.

I asked the woman on the register how people had been behaving. She said, “Some customers get angry that they can’t pay in cash, but why should I expose myself to the virus? There’s been some great behaviour, too. Some kind people offered to pay for elderly customers so they didn’t go hungry. Overall, the good outweighs the bad.”

This reassures me.

It’s been a rough day. Aged care facilities are going into lockdown. Flights in and out of the country are restricted. Social gathering are limited. I understand and applaud these decisions, but the ramifications are tough. My parents share a beautiful love story. They’ve stuck together thought thick and thin for more than 55 years. But she’s in aged care and he’s not. This lockdown could separate them. It breaks my heart.

On the brighter side, my son, who’s studying music had his first private music lesson via video conference. Innovative. Not perfect, but it worked.

I’m sure you’re all facing your own issues as a result of Corona virus – working from home, lost jobs, virtual school, cancelled holidays, or failing health. Some good impacts, some bad. But as long as the good outweighs the bad, we soldier on.

PS. Yesterday, March 23, it was announced Victoria will go on lockdown. The economic fallout will be devastating, but ultimately, the goal is to save lives. Let’s hope we can shut this thing down.

PS2. March 24, State government back tracked and only closed restaurants, pubs, clubs, gyms to fall in line with Federal government. We are expecting more changes soon.

My parents decided they couldn’t stay separated, so Mum is now at home with Dad until the crisis is over. We are all much happier with this outcome.

Next time: a revamp of an old blog about writing online book reviews in How to Help Authors Through the Corona Crisis

Next time: What do writers do in isolation? Writers Victoria Flash Fiction 2020 – Part One