There were protestors at the state capital three weeks ago. Apparently, this pandemic is really taking its toll on rural America. Trump flags and “Don’t Tread on Me” bumper stickers abound, as some of Michigan’s best and brightest took the stage to teach us a thing or two about liberty. A bunch of white people bent out of shape because they can’t go fishing or get their hair done. Disobeying the shelter-in-place order due to inconvenience. Failing to social distance because the coronavirus has thrown a monkey wrench into their status quo.
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My dog got loose two weeks ago. My partner and I spent at least thirty minutes trying to corral him in a partially-fenced-in schoolyard as he ran after every bird or passerby that he saw. He’s a playful dog – a 50-pound blue heeler mix with heterochromia iridium and a paintbrush tail. Couldn’t hurt a fly if he wanted to, he’s such a pushover. But boy, does he get excited to play. All of our training goes out the window when he sees open space, his inner farm dog taking control. A bunch of people on the other side of the street watched as we chased our dog around the park. Stood idly by as we became increasingly frustrated and helpless. Went back into their homes once we got him back on the leash, finally feeling that their neighborhood was safe again.
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We went home last weekend. My parents set up the camper in their yard and we pretended like campgrounds weren’t closed for a couple of days. We probably broke some of the social distancing guidelines, but it was a calculated risk given how careful we all have been for the past six weeks. Six weeks is a long time to be cooped up, and the weather has made it especially glum the last seven or so days. On the bright side, I’ve been saving a lot of money. I heard Georgia was starting to open back up, and saw photos of people getting haircuts and sitting at restaurants. I had a viscerally angry reaction, then realized I was spending the weekend with my family, which was a pretty hypocritical thing for me to do. I’m sure they were just a bunch of over-confident people who thought they’d done their part long enough. Who were ready to return to normal. Who were sick of letting their hair grow out.
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Yesterday, I got a request. I created an account on the Rover app about a month before the Stay-at-Home order was enacted. Rover is like Uber for pet care – you can find catsitters, house sitters, dog walkers, etc. and pay them a reasonable fee to take care of your pet when you’re not around. Poor timing on my part, because all of a sudden everyone was home all the time and didn’t have much use for a dogsitter. Until yesterday morning. She wanted me to walk her dog once a day, 30 minutes, for the next week, and she’d pay me $70. I don’t need the money, but I already walk my dog an hour a day so what’s an extra half hour? I accepted the job, and exchanged information. After everything had been confirmed, she let me know that she worked at the hospital, so if I needed something, she may not answer right away. The hospital where a bunch of COVID patients are.
I’ve been getting paid $18 an hour to stare at my computer and pray that I get an email with some sort of monotonous task that would at least get me through the next 20 minutes. I have a public health degree, and in the middle of a pandemic, I’m spending my time smoking weed and playing a grotesque amount of video games. It would seem that the least I could do for someone on the front lines is walk their dog while she’s working her shift. But then I’m putting myself and my partner at risk. Now I’m hanging in the balance between a $70 paycheck, mine and my partner’s good health, and feeling like I’m finally doing something fucking valuable.
Anonymous || Ann Arbor, Michigan ||April 27, 2020