Heard It Through the Gripe-Vine
Taking a cue from the Jewish weeklong holiday of Passover, commemorated as a journey from slavery to freedom, of birth & rebirth, and taking responsibility for yourself and the community; I know so many of us are fervently wishing we could be Past-Over this COVID pandemic. The equivalent of a quarter of a year has already been spent living under this Corona shadow, and it’s doesn’t look like true normalcy is lurking around any corner. We read about countries like New Zealand & Vietnam, to name two, who had the foresight to address the pandemic in a more effective manner; but we know that the vigilance required to maintain their relative COVID-free status is still a precarious imperative.
After all the wailing and wringing of hands of the past months, we’ve now reached the point where it’s as if we’re stuck in a tenuous ‘Pause‘ as measures are somewhat eased, holding our collective breath, and just hoping things truly turn for the better. Even for the Titas & Titos of our country, for the professionals and upwardly mobile segment of our society; there’s been a constant re-examination of values, of proclivities, and of living day-to-day. So forgive me if I employ some levity in ‘detailing’ our last three months - sometimes, the bitter truth is just too hard to bear, and it’s easier to put a smile on it.
Vendor, Vidi, Vici - Otherwise known as the Ube-Cheese Pandesal craze. It seems like everyone will have their favorite version of this COVID ‘Food Star of the Season’. Baby Pat Bread & Pastries is one of the food writers’ favorite, but I know others will cheer for their own UCP ‘manok’. Sushi Bake comes in a close second as Food Star. A casserole bake with salmon, crab sticks, roe, & vegetables, that utilizes nori seaweed sheets as a wrap, and eaten like a taco; the Sushi Bake was another dish that seemed to come out of nowhere during our Corona ‘daze’, and most everyone was creating their own version at home.
And if you’re excited about home dishes &/or creations being offered for the first time to the public during this pandemic, my personal favorite would be the Olive Oil Lemon Cake of Chermaine C. de Guzman. It’s advisable to have Virgin Olive Oil on hand to drizzle on your cake slice, as this wonderful dessert hits the mark with so many senses. It’s a visual delight with the pistachio bits & desiccated orange slice, smells like a dream thanks to the lemon essence, and it tastes heavenly - subtle and delicate, yet satisfying. Visit her FB & IG page for details.
Mask Testing 101 - As the national Mass Testing we expected never really took off, and the private sector was thrown the responsibility of testing their own employees; private citizens and Social Media feeds turned their attention elsewhere, and harped on the subject of Mask Testing! First, there were the arguments over two-ply or three-ply Disposable Masks, and the Titas were sharing videos about how if it was the right thickness you could or couldn’t blow out the flame of a lighter. Then there were the N95 respirator masks, with people arguing about how blood-thirsty the importers were, taking advantage of the COVID situation; or there just weren’t any available!
Of course, as the months passed, the masks and shields suddenly became fashion statements! Stripes, plaid, with insignias, and all sorts of woven fabric. And this evolved to Masks with reusable activated carbon filters, those made of washable Leather, and I even saw one with a protruding breathing valve that reminded me of a pig’s snout - what I christened the ‘Babe’ Mask. And when our feeds were full of Star Wars-inspired shields, I was reminded of just how interminably bored we all were. Honestly, it got to the ridiculous point where it seemed some were actually competing as to who had the most dope mask and/or shield.
Reality Bites - It was/is the period of stiff upper lips or fixed smiles, and acting like we’re loving all this quality time of togetherness and family-bonding. But in truth, this was also the 24/7 period of some parents climbing up the wall, partners breaking down the wall just to survive all this close-quartered contact, children terribly missing social contact with friends; and for those living alone, testing one’s mental health and stability. In numerous households, it was a time of setting boundaries, resolving daily or sporadic conflict, facing threats to one’s financial security, and relationships put on edge.
The decision-making of the Government have the best of intentions; but inevitably, it exposed the inequalities of our society in terms of how we could face the draconian measures of lockdown, and the easing of these measures - public transportation being the most glaring example. We struggle on, and as Malls, restaurants, and other businesses reopen, I pray that social distancing, use of masks, and hygiene considerations are religiously followed. The virus has not disappeared by any long shot; just cast an eye at what’s happening in the USA, and we can see that the dangers of a second wave are very real.
From Lockdown to Breakdown - Senior citizens became the unofficial ‘whipping dog’ of the Coronavirus. Being an obvious high risk group, a number of measures were promulgated with our safety in mind, but after three months of lockdown; I can only surmise that the already fragile mental state of many Seniors would find their continued ‘home incarceration’ a form of breaking us down. I may be in a minority in saying this, but if we’ve survived this long, it’s also because we know how to take care of our ourselves, and not take foolhardy risks.
The other week, and this was after June 15th, I was refused entry to a Mall as I was an unaccompanied Senior - ouch! I almost wanted to play wise-ass and ask if I was supposed to be accompanied by my parents? Or a caregiver? I was there to do a drugstore run, and I take pride in the fact that despite living alone, with just one help who both cooks & cleans the condo, I take care of myself, even cleaning the car weekly, and walking to do the errands. Suddenly, I was being treated like some helpless individual or invalid. For us Seniors, it’s not just a matter of resilience, but also endurance, as these COVID months go by.
How History will look back at 2020, say a decade from now; will have chroniclers and historians reflecting on how we as a barangay, city, nation, and global community, responded to this pandemic. There’s really been nothing like it since the 1918 Spanish Flu (H1N1 influenza A virus), which effectively lasted for 15 months, with a conservative global death toll of 35 million. The SARS outbreak of 2002, or the 2009 swine flu pandemic, pale in comparison to how quickly and deadly this COVID-19 pandemic spread all over the world.
That we’re still in the midst of it makes it difficult to assess, with any perspective, how we’re handling the crisis. We can only hope that the people of 2030 will be thankful that despite the deaths and tragedy of today; somehow, a new and better world eventually emerged. That’s on us, and what we leave as our legacy to our children, and the next generation.