Social Distancing

April 3, 2020













Social Distancing

The terrible scourge that is the Global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic started hitting a little closer to home in the past few day, first came news that our friend Amy had tested positive, she is self-isolating in her home and seems to be doing fairly well so far, but the news wasn’t so good for another Key West resident, as Keith became the first documented virus related fatality in Monroe County last evening.

Keith and Marshee with their sons.







I did not really know Keith all that well, but like me he was a 55 year old man with underlying health conditions so that in and of itself is frightening. I do know his lovely wife Marshee, Marshee and I worked together many years ago, shortly after I arrived in Key West in the deli at the Winn Dixie grocery store.











Marshee is a larger than life figure, brash and funny and about as big-hearted a person as you will ever meet. I grieve for her and her family, their two sons and all of Keith’s extended family and friends. The bad news is that we are I fear still in the early days of the proverbial curve that continues to rise with no signs of slowing or stopping any time soon. As I write this there have been 245,573 confirmed cases in the United States with 6,058 deaths attributed to the virus. Over a million cases worldwide and here locally Monroe County currently is showing 38 confirmed cases with 19 of those being here in Key West, with Keith being the first and to date only death.









It is such a frightening situation one that has changed the way of life for all of us in remarkable and permanent ways. Our state was late to the party on ordering a stay at home order, but the good news is that here locally it seems people are taking the situation to heart and we have been busy self-isolating for a couple of weeks. It is a strange phenomenon to be inside with little to no real human contact at all other than Kathy. I am thankful to her though as she has been wonderful and there is no one I would rather be isolated with. We seem to get on each other’s nerves less than usual in spite of being together for so much time.















Like most everyone else we have been limiting our trips outside the house to shopping and or the long walks we take each evening to keep our sanity. We are exceedingly careful when walking, avoiding people and staying as far away as possible from the few other people we see out while walking. Even when we occasionally encounter friends, we keep more than a safe distance. It seems each day that passes finds less and less people on the streets. I keep reading about random tourists that are still here, but I have seen no evidence that they are here and the county has maintained a roadblock that is designed specifically to keep visitors from arriving by car.









We try to not watch too much news coverage as it is repetitive and depressing, but we do like to keep informed by watching trusted news sources. Here locally that means the excellent reporting from local “Miami Herald” correspondent Gwen Filosa and NPR’s Nan Klingener, each have been vital sources of much needed quick and accurate information at a time when it is much needed.

Kathy







We have been spending time watching web broadcasts from friends like our friend Landon’s daily “Coffee with Landon” feature on facebook live, or our friend Graffy’s inventive and fun broadcasts of his Hot Tub Duck Races which feature close to 100 numbered rubber ducks tossed into his hot tub with the winning duck being the last one sucked up into the drain. It has been wildly popular and fun and he has completed three live broadcasts to date with more to come.











The creativity and kindness shown by the vast majority of people has been an inspiring silver lining to this insanity and it has helped keep us from totally freaking out. It looks to be a long haul before and if this thing gets turned around and anything that helps break the monotony and fear of this scary time is welcome. Kathy and I did manage to sneak in a nice snorkel along the broken pilings of the former dock at Higgs Beach just before it was totally closed like every beach in Key West.











It was a tad rough, but still a welcome diversion and a beautiful day to be out in the water with literally no one around. Since the beach has since been closed, it may be some time that we can snorkel again, at least in that location. There is no prohibition, contrary to rumors about being in or out on the water in boats, but you must maintain a safe distance from others and in the interest of adhering to the stay at home order, we will not be going for the foreseeable future.