Frustrated at the Pandemic and a Lack of Resolution

 This is a story of outrage... and whatever comes after that. 

Earlier this week, some friends invited me out for a social/fitness event. Admittedly, it was an event at a gym that was taking COVID precautions (mandatory masking, limited capacity, scheduled workout start times, etc). They invited me and I did want to go, but I realized that I did not have the spoons to take all the required steps to participate. So I made my apologies and asked whether there was another day that would work.

Later that same day, there was a knock at the front door and Amanda answered it. There, standing (six to ten feet) outside our front door was some dude. As the dog started unloading all her ferocious barking in this guy's general direction, the guy began his story about how he had a bunch of extra steaks after a delivery run, and did we want to purchase any of them "at a total steal!"

Did I mention that this winner was not wearing a mask?

After these interactions, I was feeling filled with something that I may have called righteous indignation. How dare people try to do things during a pandemic! I'm taking it seriously! I've taken all kinds of steps to do what I need to do, at home! I'm quite happy at home, thank you!

Despite this indignation, I did make an effort to keep a level head. I told the guy selling steaks door to door during the pandemic that no, we just stocked up and we didn't need his steaks. And I asked my friends whether we could have a Zoom call to try to find a better time.

Like I said, I think this gym that my friends wanted to go to is doing a good job of adapting to fitness during the pandemic. I did want to find a time to go there with my friends, and they were gracious enough to meet me online to talk about it. 

But as they shared their availability, I came to realize that they had already picked the best (almost the only) time that worked for them to go. With all kinds of family responsibilities that continued during the pandemic, they had kept this night of the week open for them to do something fun. And here I was, asking whether I could do this thing with them on a different day of the week, at a different time. 

I was rebuffed. And I started to wonder whether I had asked for a bridge too far. 

I don't know whether this story has a resolution. I mean, the guy selling steaks door to door? Him I sent away because he was being ridiculous. But my friends? I wanted to see them as much as they wanted to see me. And I found that the circumstances we found ourselves in presented so much more of a hurdle to seeing each other than I had conceived of.