This morning, on my four-mile walk with 12-year-old “Puppy” Shadow, we strolled through the beautiful, flower-filled I.U. campus in Bloomington Indiana (now in phase 3, “until at least June 15” says the mayor). I expected campus to be as near-deserted as ever since mid-March when classes suddenly disbanded and students told to LEAVE. But no! Saw or passed nearly 40 people today (a majority with dogs), and I’d say that only 5% of them were masked. Nor did anyone go out of their way to “socially distance” from the sidewalk as they passed. YES!
However, I did note one determined young Asian man in bright orange sneakers ferociously shooting hoops. And yep, masked! (Yuck! Must have been hot and sweaty in there.)
Then, out to Sunday brunch with son Colin for the first time since lockdown began. Many of the ethnic places on restaurant-heavy 4th street were open, at least their patios, though some inside, too. We were surprised to see not all that many diners, however. We ate on the porch of nearby
Runcible Spoon (since 1976!), which was wildly popular, perhaps because its food has never been so good! Sweet young servers in masks, but no one else.
On the other hand, housemate Dan tells me that of the approximately one thousand people who participated in yesterday’s entirely peaceful BLM protest parade from Dunn meadow on campus to the court house, during a very hot afternoon, every single person was masked.
Go figure!
Here’s the inimitable JP Sears, an utterly brilliant social satirist, weighing in, on June 3:
