Waiting

Tick tick tick.. My city had 4th of July fireworks and a several weekends long carnival with rides, etc.  I think, I hope it finished yesterday.  There were supposed to be masks and social distancing, but it wasn't enforced. I saw footage of it and it looked like every carnival I have ever seen, no masks, no distance.  Lots and lots of people went.

My county is across the wide muddy river from one of the highest rates of the virus in the state.  It has been tamped down and it is ravaging the rural and western counties in my state more now, but right across the river there are still high numbers of cases.  In my county, the toll was low, so far.  Lots of people died in a couple of nursing homes, but not much more than that.  In consequence, a great number of people don't wear masks, don't socially distance, congregate in parties.  My city was the first to open the pools in the area.  Apparently a lot of people aren't very worried about this virus.

I am.  An invisible invader for which there is no cure, no real proven treatment?  I am concerned.  I would be less so if people would just wear masks, just socially distance, but they don't.  If this virus acts the way I think it does, I am waiting for a jump in our virus cases.  Of course, lots of people who came to the carnival and fireworks came from other places and they will take it back to those places, so perhaps our numbers won't jump. Lots of them were young and they won't feel the effects, they will give it to their elderly relatives and neighbors. But, I suspect the numbers in this county will jump too.  I doubt that we are immune.

I hate slow motion disasters.  I would rather get a quick hit and have it over like a tornado instead of a hurricane, a lightning strike instead of a flood.  But, the virus doesn't work this way.  It is slow and deadly.  So, I wait.  I considered going back to Mass, but I hear now that masks will be optional.  I waited too long.  I just hope that the online Masses continue and I will make myself satisfied with that.  And pray for a vaccine.