EVERY time I get the blues (don't worry, it's always just passing melancholia that I recognize as such), I thank God that I'm in a better position and would say a little prayer for those in less ideal situations.
I've stayed home the past ten months with a monthly grocery run and occasional visits to my mom's, which is in the same subdivision. There I get to see my siblings, nephew, niece, and yes, the mom. I have two friends I see twice a month on average, and that's the most frequent among the lot. One friend I've been seeing at least once a month and the rest have faded into the shadows of social media.
I thought I was on the relatively reclusive side pre-Covid, but looking back, my social life was teeming with activities, with weekly meetups with a friend or two, and several small groups that I get to meet at least every week as well.
Every time I see a "Closed" or "Temporarily Closed" sign on yet another establishment, I can't help but wonder how their former employees are faring. I had lunch a few months back in this high-end restaurant and there was just one waiter, one chef, and one at the cash register.
Before Covid, it was teeming with food servers. I couldn't help but feel a prick in the heart, a sadness I never felt before. That sadness would come knocking more times than I really want to as I walk past restaurants and shops with very few customers at the mall during my monthly grocery run. I can't even remember the last time I entered the department store. There is no urge to buy because you're just at home.
You don't need new clothes, shoes, even underwear. Just before the pandemic, I bought a pair of shoes on sale online because I no longer had any sneakers to wear. I liked it so much, I bought two more, one black, one brown. I haven't even opened the box of the brown one because it arrived right before the lockdown.
There's an increasing number of robberies. It's disturbing. It could get worse if the police will not do anything about this. Desperate people get more aggressive and people will be hurt.
I can just cheer on those who have found a livelihood through social media, cooking, baking, selling, and yes, those roadside popup coffee stands are ingenious. May the regulators let them be during these desperate times. They're just people trying to eke out a living, and in the process are bringing joy to motorists who'd love a cup but don't relish going to a coffee shop. Years from now, these will just be poignant memories of a difficult past.
People are doing everything to survive the ravages of this pandemic. Let's just hope and pray that the criminally-inclined will be put under control. In the meantime, let's demand police action before criminality gets worse and let's not allow the police to get away with the excuse that the spike is because of the pandemic and do nothing about it.
Obviously, it is because of the pandemic, but they should count themselves lucky they still have a job and a stable salary. Millions of Filipinos can't say the same. Do.Your.Job! saestremera@gmail.com