Social Butterflies in a Time of Pandemic
I like my alone time. It’s nice and quiet and I can do whatever I want. Don’t have to converse or watch a TV show I don’t like or listen to jazz. Been there, done that…..I was married.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m actually an extrovert (with introvert rising) and I enjoy being with people. Well, not all people, just some people. But now, with this crazy pandemic, I can’t be with people I like or don’t like. Social distancing is the “assignment” in this semester’s “school of life.”
People stay home all day every day because that’s the assignment. And they get an “A.” Of course, since most venues for fun are still closed, there are slim pickins for daily activities. I’ve got to think of something that will get us out and provide entertainment.
Enter Blossum, social butterfly, my partner in crime, my muse, my inspiration. Blossie is ALWAYS up for an adventure. From a deep, snoring sleep, she is up and at ‘em as soon as she hears me open my underwear drawer for a pair of panties. “We’re going” she perks up, impatient and crying with anticipation, her tail vigorously wagging her butt as I put my leggings on. “Where to Mommy? No, don’t tell me, surprise me. No, don’t surprise me. I wanna know where we are going so I know what to wear.” I reel her back in, “bring something casual and something a little nicer.” Yes, we’re wacky and happily so. I hope you will join our folie a deux.
I haven’t really decided on our destination. But it doesn’t matter does it? The point is: be outside, breathe fresh air, walk, or in the case of Blossie, sniff cool stuff. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we always have fun together (Isn’t that a song?) Sometimes, like today, I just decide to park in some local neighborhood we haven’t explored and we take off on foot. As we get out of the car, I’m pleased to see Blossie has chosen her more casual outfit (!) I grab the leash in case I need it, and we start out, two strangers in a strange land.
On our jaunt, I critique the gardens and Blossie evaluates the smells. When people pass by, keeping a social distance, I say “Hi. Be well”, they say “What a cute dog” (of course). These encounters have become the acceptable form of socializing at this crazy time. As we saunter along, we meet a Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy, two yellow Labs and three children decorating the sidewalk with a colorful and lopsided chalk portrait of their Mom. It’s lovely really. Reassuring to see that the planet is still rotating and people are still people, fundamentally friendly and good.
Like Olympic judges who make evaluations of great consequence, we give each neighborhood a grade for friendliness (“Mommy, that lady who said I was cute was really nice”), landscape design, well-behaved children (any that aren’t screaming) and wildlife attraction (i.e. bee friendly). After a short discussion, we come up with the final score. We’ve considered posting the categories and the final results: “Ilene and Blossum’s Neighborhood Evaluation: Grade: B+” but we haven’t worked out the logistics…yet.
After about 45 minutes, we trudge back to the car, Blossie with her tongue lolling out of her mouth, thirsty and tired. I fill her bowl with water and drink some myself before we get in and head home, another strange land becoming the familiar.
