You have to hand it to me
I met up with an old friend in the village yesterday.
He had buggered off foreign a couple of years ago so it was a while since we had last met in person.
The village was pretty full even though it was still morning. The coffee shop terrace was fully occupied but my friend had already arrived, had grabbed a table and had the mugs served up. It was nice to feel the firm handshake which was a physical rebonding after a long absence. It was a trivial matter yet it had huge significance.
It’s the first time I have shaken hands with anyone since the beginning of last year, or even earlier. For nearly two years it has been relentlessly drummed into us to shun our fellow humans. We mustn’t stand nearer than two metres and if we feel compelled to make a physical connection we are told to use that abomination of a virtue signal – the elbow bump.
The elbow bump is up there with the mask in my list of Covid hatreds. It is a naff, twee invention that didn’t really serve any purpose. Most animals, and in particular primates are physical beings. Touch is an essential part of any interaction. While us humans don’t go in for the full grooming effort, we have refined touch down to a simple handshake [or in a lot of cultures, a kiss on the cheek] which is a sign that we are unarmed and open to friendship. We come in peace. To bump elbows is meaningless or could even be misconstrued as a gesture of hostility: come any closer that that’s what you’ll get in the throat.
So we sat in the sun and chatted. It was good to be with a friend doing what friends do when there isn’t madness in the air. The only disturbance was the village clock which they finally fixed a short while back to it now chimes the hour. Though I think “chimes” may not be the appropriate verb – it sound more like someone belting a field gate with a lump hammer – maybe “clangs” would be a better word?
As we parted, we shook hands again. It was normal. It was natural. It was sane.
Life is good again.
It wont last Grandad here in South East Asia in the next few weeks you wont be allowed in the shops unless you can prove you have had the 2nd Jab.
As we speak, Australian police and military are rounding up people who test positive for COVID. For now, they are being tossed into hotels. But soon, this single camp will be able to hold 3,000 people for “mandatory quarantine accommodation.” And the “golden ticket to freedom” according to health officials will be the COVID vaccine. It’s bad. Really bad.
This saying is very true ….. You don’t know how good it was till its gone.
We already have the “certificates” here, though I haven’t seen any sign of them being used. Mandatory quarantine has been in place for ages for anyone coming into Ireland [unless you’re a politician and therefore apparently immune to the Virus]. The worst is supposed to be behind us.
Of course there is still the Winter Flu season yet to come?
Same thing is going on here Captain, but I’m ready for them. When they ask me for proof I intend to ask the same from them.
“Why would I want to eat here if you can’t prove that the staff has had all their shots? You folks are going to be handling my food for shit sake!”
OMG Sanity!
Yes, I do believe in Sanity!
I used to; I’m not so sure anymore.
What happened to your face ache and shingles?
And the pooch?
Face ache and shingles were in temporary remission. They returned with a vengeance that afternoon!
For reasons only she knows, Penny flatly refused to come with me.
It was indeed good to see you!
As I said, I regarded being able to sit there as comparable to winning the lottery.
Spending September to December last year, teaching four hundred different students each week, pushing through crowded corridors of noisy teenagers, without mask or visor, or anything else, I came to the conclusion that continuing to shake hands was consistent with government guidelines so carried on doing so.
As far as I am aware, guidelines here state that handshaking is verboten. I pay a lot of attention to the guidelines.
“The elbow bump is up there with the mask in my list of Covid hatreds. It is a naff, twee invention that didn’t really serve any purpose.”
Oh, thank god, I thought I was the only person who had to grit my teeth when watching people do that!
I cringe whenever I see it done, in particular when I see heads of governments or other officials doing it. It’s really fucking childish.
Another one cringing here … and I never saw the slightest bit of sense in it: If you do that stupid elbow bump you get closer to each others face than with a good old-fashioned handshake, no?