PARANOIA ON DISPLAY

[schlomo]

Paranoia on Display

This past month in Hawaii, Covid-19 fatalities have accounted for one-fourth of the total deaths from the pandemic since March 2000. And infections have been 10 times higher than last year’s.  Therefore, it is not surprising that some people have become super vigilant in protecting themselves from the disease. Yesterday in a medical complex, a thin young woman was unusually cautious in avoiding anyone who could possibly contaminate her.

In the doctor’s office, both of us got keys to the rest rooms. The woman left a bit before I did. When I entered the wide corridor and was ready to pass by her, she shuddered and squished her body against the wall. After I moved way ahead of her, I looked back. At that moment, she managed to wrest herself away from her secure position and began to edge towards the ladies’ room.

I didn’t see her again until we both were waiting for the elevator that allowed four persons at a time. She positioned herself at least twenty feet away from me. When the elevator came, she remained secluded in the far corner of the corridor. I went in. There was plenty of room for her to distance herself from me in the elevator, but she chose not to join me.

At first I thought that the woman was trying to stay as far away from me as she could because I somehow scared her, even though I was properly wearing a mask, as she was. I later realized that she was frightened of everyone else as well. Before I left the building, I happened to see her ever-so-slowly trailing behind a few people. If anyone came up beside her, she stopped short, not moving until that person had gone further on.

Perhaps she was so apprehensive because she was unvaccinated. But I can’t believe that such a scrupulous person would be that irresponsible, for whatever reason.

I felt sorry for the young woman. It was as if she was afraid of being sucked into the riptide of Covid-19 spreaders.

So I wonder, is fighting the flow self-defeating? Could the stress of having to obsessively steer clear of others undermine one’s mental and physical health?

[fffred]

Even without covid concerns I sometimes (often?) have acted as that young woman did. Sometimes I really just don't want another human being within my "personal space" and sometimes that space just really is a large distance (easily 1 or 2 dozen feet). I generally enjoy going to the grocery store but when the bodily pains of arthritis are acting up, and I am otherwise as well feeling grumpy and anti-social (and misanthropic) then I really don't want people around me, especially when they are crowding me and trying to chivvy me along. In line with this I sometimes don't even want to breathe the same air that they've been using! OMG! "Used" air! Yes, I can laugh at myself over this but fact remains sometimes I will hold my breath until I can get "outta there!".

[WebWiseWoman]

I always appreciate your posts! Thank you so much for your entertaining views!

As this is a late response, please excuse my hesitance...

I reside in a senior complex, and have been appalled throughout this pandemic by neighbors I formerly appreciated response to it.

Seems everyone who refused and continues to refuse to wear a mask have "medical reasons" although I've observed jogging and swimming, power-walking and more from those same individuals...

So I fear my fellow Americans right now; we are attacking each other, lying to each other, caring more for ourselves than our Country.

I have no doubt, this woman isn't able to trust anyone or anything she could before. I wish I could help but I'm in the same place, emotionally. Until trust returns, what we are is not what we should be.

#StaySafe

[schlomo]

Yesterday, one of my friends at Temple asked me how I have been doing for the past two years. I said that I had a very mild case of Omicron a couple of months ago. When I replied,I was standing a few feet away from her, and she was sitting on a couch. Immediately she moved to the opposite end of the couch so that I couldn't somehow contaminate her. We both had masks on,  and we both had been fully vaccinated. The conversation abruptly ended. Omicron infections in Hawaii have plummeted from an average of 5,000 to 250 per day. But some people are still super vigilant. So be it.