Paul Richardson: Lessons from the pandemic

It turns out that there are certain things that can be learned from our experiences over the last year. These are not hard conclusions to come by. 

There was not a test nor a series of essay questions that had be answered. There was not even a multiple-choice test. 

Most of my answers tell me more about myself than about how to handle a pandemic or for that matter anything in particular. These lessons were valuable though, but only if I paid attention to them and was honest with myself. Sometimes that is harder than one would think.

When we, and I am referring to myself and the good wife, learned of the pandemic, our first reaction was, “We need to start preparing us some masks. Wearing masks will be an essential part of getting through this time.” 

I began some planning and determined that I could sew a cloth mask with an internal pocket in which I could place a, of all things, coffee filter or at least a layer of a filter extracted from a standard basket filter. 

This along with the layers of cloth would provide a better barrier than the cloth alone and thus slows any breath that was exhaled. Then confusing messages began to come from the CDC. 

“Masks are not needed,” they said, “and furthermore, not even recommended.” As everyone knows it wasn’t long before that message went 180 degrees in direction. 

The lesson to me was that it was unclear that anyone knew what they were doing or who was driving. That reminds me of some lyrics from a ‘Moody Blues’ song, “A thousand miles can be so many ways, just to know who is driving, what a help it would be.”

The lessons that applied to me, however, were pretty clear. I don’t like going through drive-thru service at fast food locations or carry-out. I like to go into an establishment, sit down, order, receive my food, and eat. If I had wanted to live out of my car, I would have started that years ago.

I despise going into big-box stores and shopping. The pandemic afforded me an easy out. I could now drive the good wife to the store, and she would don her mask and leave me in the car. This reminded me of my youth when I could sit in the car and listen to the radio until the adults returned. It killed two birds with one stone. I got to relax and listen to some tunes and never had to go into the store.

My one most recent observation should be passed on to employers. Don’t pick your quiet talking employee, who also mumbles, have them don a mask and work the drive-thru speaker. 

As much as I hate the drive thru, I still use it on occasion. It is frustrating when I can’t hear or understand the person taking my order, thus not knowing if I ordered correctly or the cost. So, I just pull forward, hand them a wad of money, and think, “Another lesson learned from this pandemic.”