WHAT does one do when you’re bored stiff while you are recuperating, tied to a wheelchair and on lockdown? Boring, huh?

Maybe not. I spend my days with my smartphone, listening to live stream music in my apps, brushing up on my Spanish, Bahasa, French, and German, and listening to my podcasts. It works, I can follow the accents and the syntax.

One way of beating boredom is to get in touch with my high school classmates through social media. I got in touch with Berden Dungao, now a Filipino-American in New Jersey. His state is a Covid-19 hotspot. When I studied in Columbia University, I got to stay with Ber’s lovely family and appreciate their warm hospitality.

In this age of social media, I reconnected with Ber thru my android and Facebook messenger. I’m worried that they might get infected with the virus. Here’s how our exchange went, with some slight editing.

Me: Take care from Covid-19. I pray for the safety of you all in the USA. I’m worried about the estimated number of Covid-19 casualties. I hope you’re staying at home as I do.

Ber: I also pray for all Filipinos that they may not get hit as hard as the Americans; expected number of deaths here in the US due to Covid-19 is between 100-200 thousand; we’re currently only at around three thousand so we have a long way to go. Stay safe and take good care of yourself; praying for your full recovery and expect to see you. Best to your entire family!

Me: Yes, I know. Thank you, Ber. That why I’m alarmed. When I read the news on my apps, I decided to send you and others messages.

Ber: Yes, been staying home for almost 3 weeks now. Great to know you are too. I got to think that what my friends worldwide have in common. Thank God for home deliveries of groceries that used to come same day (now 7 - 10 days); otherwise it would have been very tough surviving under 24-hour lockdown and 8:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew. But “sanitizing” all grocery deliveries inside our garage take a lot of time before I bring it into our home; better to be safe than sorry so I don’t mind the protocols.

Me: We are running out of sanitizers, alcohol and bath soaps.

Ber: It’s the new normal in my neck of the woods. I wear N95 mask and gloves before spraying and wiping off all items with Lysol; all fruits (apples, pears, plums & mangoes) are washed with soap and water before storing in the refrigerator (eggs too)—LOL! Then I leave my clothes and shoes in the garage and go straight to shower—really a lot of work but we all have to do our best to protect our families so I really don’t mind. Anyway, I hope things are still better in your community. Yes of course. Our way of life is so different from yours so I think it’s good for others to know how we live. I’d also like to know how Filipinos survive in these times, if possible.

Me: We are working not as hi-tech as you do it there. So we have chinks in our defenses. My caregiver is my vulnerability. She buys our supplies but she says she takes a bath after she buys our food supplies from our public markets. I just and hope and pray that our law enforcers are doing their jobs.