Monday, March 16, 2020

On potential isolation


I gave my last hug to a woman named Vikki on Friday. She is kind and wise and met me, lost, at my front door. It turned out she was in the right place, just one hidden driveway away. So good to see her. Ever since I’ve greeted people with a prayer gesture or arms crossed over my chest and a nod. I’m a natural hugger so this whole thing is a bit weird.

Trilby bailed me up outside the parks and wildlife office yesterday. He’s found a ‘dumper’, a habitual dumper of rubbish. Unfortunately. this dumper probably weekends at the place where I live and Trilby is onto them … ‘like a ninja’ he says, karate punching himself on his hard, septuagenarian stomach. ‘I worked as a constable in Hong Kong in the 60s,’ he said. ‘Imagine what will happen to those litterbugs when I get hold of them.’ He then mentioned something about testicles and investigations. ‘I’m not sure which rangers are on today,’ I told him, carefully concealing my cigarette butt in a chewing gum tin. ‘Have you considered writing a letter to the council?’

A major Australian university divests their stocks in fossil fuels. Markets are tanking anyway due to the lurgy but this particular move is heralded as ‘virtue signalling’ in crisis times. There is talk about self-isolation. I feel I could well be the next expert, for once. None of this is new to me. ‘Aren’t you afraid sometimes?’ a woman asked me yesterday. ‘Living out there alone?’

I can hardly believe it myself, but it’s been nearly five years now, since I moved out to the inlet. Apart from the poles, it’s one of the more isolated places on our planet. I live here off the grid and without telecommunications. Famously (it’s catchy) I finished the edits of my last book at the local laundromat in town because there was a power point, a chair and table and mobile phone range.

Now as a new imperative, I’m looking at heading to the laundromat to continue my work as a uni tutor. The beauty of tech means I can continue work as a tutor when the universities shut down, as I listen to my clothes churn around and around (the lint filters need changing by the way), and stay connected with the students. Self-isolation is actually the pinnacle of my life options. What could be better, for me?

Trilby talks about his dreams for an eco-caravan park at the inlet so they can knock down the squatter huts where I live. He looks to me for approval. He may as well be looking under a car seat for that missing hairclip. ‘Eco-caravan park talkers are akin to white-shoe property developers to me,’ I say. He stares forlornly at the orange bag of litter at his feet. ‘Those huts should be heritage listed,’ I say. ‘They belong to the old cattle run families.’ The word ‘heritage’ has power. He nods, but he knows now that I am not an ally.

Where am I going here? Not sure really. Information seems to be at least a week late from the gubberment and meanwhile we make it up ourselves. Flattening the curve involves no more hugs, handshakes or kisses for the foreseeable future (whatever those chicken entrails are) and I’m happy to comply. Just don’t turn my bolt hole, my haven, into an eco-caravan park.

And be kind and good to each other. Consider your workers in retail, education and medicine and give them your most gorgeous (non coughy) juice. The people who heal you and your family, who sell you fuel and a carton of milk and those who teach your kids, they live at the coal face now. They deserve your utter, utter respect and consideration.

*posted from the laundromat*

8 comments:

  1. Would it ever enter your head not to be kind to each other? The people I know treat each other well through thick and thin.

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  2. Yes, yes be kind to each other. Utter gratitude to those who will go to work everyday, while we face this in self-isolation. Schools are closed here. We are learning the new way now.

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    1. Wow, schools closing down ... they did a bit of it during the bushfires. It's a new way of learning.

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  3. Lovely crazy post Sarah - random. Just like life atm - random. Yes good things come from bad times and I have already been thinking about how the planet may actually be able to breathe as human activity slows and in some cases stops. Airlines are crying that they may be bankrupt by May. Good. Take a boat - like Greta did. Slow down this whole crazy fucking human mess. I'm so glad you can continue working - some human inventions are great. Not sure what will happen to my job. I'm assuming they will lock down the prison at some stage - they are way under-equipped to handle an outbreak.

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    1. I was wondering how work was going Michelle. Did they resolve the building issue?

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    2. Looks like we may get back in week after next. Long story but seems as though they did some work and sorted it out. Now there's this virus!! Crikey. What a start to the year. They are going to honour our contracts, but as they are only 5 weeks I don't hold out much hope. One of the other prisons is in lockdown, which means we won't be far behind because they move people between prisons all the time and chances are someone has been exposed to the virus somewhere. Not sure if I can apply for benefits as Robin works, but not really enough for both of us.

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