My Masks

AS A KID I WAS ALWAYS WEARING A MASK OF SOME KIND. I WOULD SAVE MY HALLOWEEN MASKS FOR YEARS IN A BOX STORED IN THE GARAGE. WHEN I FELT LIKE BEING, MIGHTY MOUSE ID PULL DOWN THE BOX AND FIND MY MASK READY TO JOIN ME IN BACKYARD FANTASIES. THAT OLD BOX HELD PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF MY YOUTH, EACH MASK A PIECE OF WHO I WAS AT LEAST FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

MY MOM WOULD SMILE AND WAVE TO ME FROM THE KITCHEN WINDOW AS I BECAME THE SCARE CROW FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ OR POPEYE THE SAILOR. THERE WAS BATMAN, SUPERMAN, GI-JOE, ZORRO, A CRAZY CLOWN AND MANY MORE. I WOULD ENTERTAIN MYSELF RE-LIVING THE FIRST TIME I WORE EACH ONE AND THINKING ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS OF CANDY I RECEIVED WEARING THEM.

MANY OF THE STRAPS ON THE MASKS HAD BEEN BROKEN OFF BUT I USED OLD SHOELACES TO FASHION NEW ONES THAT WORKED EVEN BETTER THE ORIGINALS. LOOKING BACK, I REALIZED THOSE MASKS WERE AS MUCH A REASON FOR BEING WHO I AM THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS.

NOW I WEAR A MASK ONCE MORE. NO, I AM NOT A BANK ROBBER OR A DOCTOR, NOT A NURSE OR A WORKER IN A CHEMICAL FACTORY. I’M JUST A MAN WHO WANTS TO DO HIS PART TO CRUSH A VIRUS THAT’S CRIPPLED OUR COUNTRY. I CANNOT FIND A LOGICAL REASON WHY EVERYBODY DOESN’T FEEL THEY NEED TO DO THE SAME? IS IT VANITY AND IF SO, GET OVER IT SOME OF YOU PROBABLY LOOK BETTER IN A MASK?

I’VE HEARD SOME SAY ITS THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT NOT TO WEAR A MASK. WOW I GUESS ITS THEIR RIGHT TO DIE TOO. WE LIVE IN TROUBLED TIMES AND EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD HEED THE WORDS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO’VE STUDIED THESE VIRUSES FOR DECADES. ITS THEIR WORDS AND WARNINGS WE SHOULD LISTEN TO NOT THE POLITICIANS WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.  PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE SUFFERING YET BECAUSE OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR HUMAN LIVES COME IN SECOND TO THE LOVE OF MONEY.

WHAT’S THE ANSWER? CLOSE BUSINESSES THAT DON’T ADHERE TO THE RULES? YOU BET YA. FINE THOSE WHO DON’T FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES? YEP. DEMAND MASKS BE WORN OR BE FINED? YEP. INSTILL CURFEWS SO PEOPLE STAY OFF THE STREETS UNLESS THERE GOING TO WORK OR FOR FOOD AND MEDICINES? YEP. ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE ITS COMMON SENSE. OUR GOVERNMENT IS THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. IF IT TAKES A FEW MONTHS TO RID THIS DEADLY VIRUS THEN CLOSE THE COUNTRY FOR THAT LONG. ONCE ITS ALL CLEAR THEY WILL HAVE TO CASH IN MORE BONDS LIKE THEY DID FOR THE LAST STIMULUS WHICH BY THE WAY THEY SENT MONEY TO ALMOST A BILLION DEAD PEOPLE!

THIS TIME USE COMMON SENSE AND ISSUE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EVERY AMERICAN. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES FOR A FEW MONTHS AND HAVE SOME LEFT TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY ONCE ITS ALL CLEAR AND THE VIRUS IS GONE. SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY AND IT IS BUT ISN’T EVERY AMERICAN WORTHY OF A NEW START? WITHOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS THE UNEMPLOYMENT WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB IN THE MILLIONS, SMALL BUSINESSES WILL CLOSE FOR GOOD AND PEOPLE WILL BECOME EVEN MORE ANGRY AT THE GOVERNMENT. IF THE VIRUS IS AMONG US FRUSTRATION, ANGER, DEPRESSION AND STRESS WILL BECOME THE NORMAL OF OUR SOCIETY. AND WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM?

ILL KEEP WEARING MY MASK. ILL DO MY PART TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD AND I BELIEVE ILL REACH INTO THAT OLD BOX A FEW TIMES AND PRETEND EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT, THAT MY SUPERHEROES WILL SOMEHOW SAVE THE DAY ONE MORE TIME.

MIKE