Under House Arrest

How have you responded to the pandemic? Are you one who hid in your house, afraid to step outside your door? Or, did you decide it was all a hoax, and you refused the mask and just did whatever you choose?

Chances are, if you are like most people, you chose somewhere in between. Taking some precautions, but also choosing to live your life. As a species, we aren’t really good at hiding. Americans have an reputation of running into danger.

Americans are good fighters with nerve and recklessness.

– Arnulfo Osterman, (WWI Lieut in the German army)

We kind of like that reputation. So, its sits ill with many of us to be told what to do, even by our own government, especially by our own government. Even when it’s for our own good.

Reckless is a pretty good description.

Personally, I’m in favor of masks and social distancing. COVID is not some grand conspiracy.

But, I also have that independent streak. That recklessness that Lt Osterman described so many years ago. It means I live my life, but take precautions.

One of the parts of my life that goes on is Masonry. Free Masons have been around for hundreds of years. We’ve survived numerous plagues over the centuries. Not that the history helps me any.

Our monthly Masons meeting was last Thursday. It’s the first one of the year. We take precautions. Masks are required. We try to social distance and the meeting cannot be longer than one hour. (I’m kind of hoping that last bit carries on past the pandemic.)

I’m the chaplain for my lodge. During one of the prayers I prayed,

…these are troubling times and important hours for the fraternity and for each of us

It turns out we could use all the prayers we could get. On Friday one of our brothers lost his sense of smell and taste. He tested positive for COVID. So, the rest of us have to follow the COVID protocols. Quarantine and get tested in seven days.

I feel fine. I wore my mask the entire time. But, still, I’ll follow the protocol. The thing is, none of the rest of the people in my house need to follow it. They weren’t potentially exposed. I was.

So, I’ll spend most of my days in my tiny office.

Yes, it really is as small as it looks. It’s about 4×7. I’ll use the right-hand sink in our bathroom that no one ever uses.

And I’ll wear an N95 mask until the test results. Until them, I’m under house arrest.

Stay safe

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.

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