heated Covid controversy, and One Man, Two Guvnors

Two more things to report today: I just had a phone call from Jean-Marc following up on our recent conversation on the street; he wanted to tell me how irresponsible he thinks I am to go out as much as I do, like having a drink once on Monique's deck, even six feet apart and bringing my own glass. "You're touching things, bringing that back to the house - what about your tenant?" he said. "The rule is: you stay home alone in your house and you do not go out."

But we have to survive this longterm, I said. We can't go through the day seeing nothing but disease everywhere. I wash my hands all the time, wear gloves, am careful what I touch, keep apart from others. As for the 'rule', there's nary a rule I don't look at to see how far it can be stretched.

But this is different, he said. This is life and death. He think I'm encouraging my blog readers to go out and do irresponsible things. Is that so, dear readers?

I appreciate his call. He and I have clashed before about obeying versus breaking rules, but I would have made a similar call if I felt a friend were putting herself or others at risk. I happen not to think I am, but it's true that I could be more careful. So my message to all of you is: DO NOT DO ANYTHING IRRESPONSIBLE! And don't listen to me!

Okay?

Yesterday, I watched the National Theatre Live's presentation of the comedy One Man, Two Guvnors, which was the breakout role for James Corden. I saw it on stage in London just after he left and enjoyed it a lot. Well, it must have shrunk in the transition to my computer, because I found it exhausting, forced, and silly. Even Corden. Tiresome British jokes and mugging, and you know that British stuff generally sends me into ecstasy. Not this.

Tonight, Monique and I are meeting at our usual time, 5.30, from our two far apart decks. This is acceptable. As for the 'rule' - I'll have to figure out how far I will follow and when I will not.

PS Just heard from a friend: Jean-Marc’s rule doesn’t exist. The rule is stay in and, when you must go out, keep the 6 foot rule. I believe what he refers to is applied to those who have been in known contact with or are themselves symptomatic or sick with CoVid and/or returning travellers.

PPS. Lots of comments are flooding in via email and Anonymous writing below, some siding with me, and some with JM. As we sat on different levels chatting tonight, I told Monique about it. "What about people with dogs? They're out all the time. No one is telling them to stay home," she said. I think my dear friend JM exaggerates my level of irresponsibility. Sitting once six feet apart on a friend's deck is not a mad flouting of rules. But he still thinks I'm wild and crazy and leading you all astray.

Please do not be led astray.

Penny just wrote beautifully from Liverpool: Time is a strange deep river. It seems slow moving and bottomless yet it also passes too quickly to do anything useful. All those tasks I brought with me to Liverpool and suddenly they seem unimportant yet I know when life cranks up again I will wish I had used my down time more usefully.

I think we all feel that way, Penny. And now, back to Facebook.