Springtime in Milano

It was a beautiful day in Milan today. Luckily, I have a terrace that overlooks a park, so I could enjoy the day from above, feeling the warm breeze and hearing the birds chirp louder that I have ever heard them before. Occasionally my peace was interrupted by the blaring voice over a loudspeaker directed at those loitering in the parks “Get off the benches, go home”. It is a perplexing time. Numbers here in Italy continue to rise, offering little hope that the virus is slowing down. As I write this I hear another ambulance siren. Today we counted another 792 deaths. Some doctors have started to hypothesise that the virus has mutated in Lombardy, which may account for the high death toll. Others say it’s environmental, having to do with the air pollution. In any case, something just doesn’t seem right. This is 2020. Why is humankind being subjugated by a virus? Bill Gates saw it coming in 2015. Why have we been so utterly blindsided by Covid19? Am I the only one who feels like some information is missing?

 Under the circumstances it is no wonder that even stricter measures are being considered. All outdoor games have been prohibited. My son cried when the police told him he could no longer kick around a football with his father. As of tomorrow, jogging, even alone is prohibited. Amazon has decided to deliver only “high priority” items. Soon they will probably close all stores except supermarkets and pharmacies. (Until now small independent grocers, butchers, dry-cleaners, hardware stores and tobacco stores were allowed to stay open). The road ahead seems long and uncertain, and not just for us Italians. (If you have not read it, check out The New York Times article with a simulation of the spread of the virus in the U.S under various scenarios.) So, my friends, all I can tell you for tonight is honker down - we’re in it for the long-haul, but it will be an unforgettable day when we can leave our homes and hug each other again.