Thursday, August 13, 2020

WHAT DAY IS IT, ANYWAY? (and other pandemic questions)

In the last few years of her life, when she was in her 90s, my mother would sometimes call to ask me the time.  Although I have a few good years left before my 90s, I do find that the pandemic has left me also feeling a bit untethered from the usual markers of time passing. 

Sometimes I can't remember what day it is.  The other morning, I woke up thinking, "Is today Thursday or Friday?"  I decided to work backwards.  "Let's see, was yesterday Wednesday or Thursday?"  

I couldn't answer either question.

When I recounted this to a friend, she said, "I know what you mean. What we need are those day-of-the-week panties that we wore when we were little girls." 

Anyone else remember these?



Or maybe what we need are day-of-the-week socks.  That way, we could discreetly check the day without disrobing.

Of course, we would have to figure out which pair to wear on any given day.  I think the trick would be to check the day when putting on the first pair, then store the socks in order, carefully putting on the next pair each day.  (Just don't let anyone near the sock drawer, or we will all be doomed.)

And shouldn't time be passing sloooowly during this lockdown?  
How is it always Saturday?  Where do the weeks go?  Is the pandemic eating them?

And how is it mid-August already? Did we have a spring?  I can't remember.

Oh, yeah, and how about the fact that every time I look up, it is 3 p.m.? And speaking of 3 p.m., how am I always finding myself at that hour with nothing to show for myself?  Shouldn't I have accomplished one of the many projects I was always going to take care of when I had time?

Bonus question:  If time seems to be flying by, why does it feel like November 3 will never arrive?

These are pandemic mysteries that I will leave you to solve.  I, for one, am off to order some socks.


7 comments:

  1. Great questions! and accurate. ;) Dana said to me yesterday, is it Tuesday? If I didn't have my practice to keep me on schedule, I would lose track of days, too. "Days of the Week panties for Men" Somehow I don't see a big market there. ;)

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