Down For The Ride (Jonathan Toews)

83~Covid Care Package

Brielle

Through all of this it is honestly a miracle Jon or myself have not gotten Covid. We wear a mask any time we're out and I can't go anywhere without hand sanitizer. We've been around people who had it but through the dozens of tests I had taken they have all been negative.

But others we knew weren't so lucky. My good childhood friend Maria who I talk to daily no matter where in the world I am has come down with it so she is quarantined in her apartment by herself for at least two weeks, if not more. Her symptoms were mild but the hospitals were overbooked again so until it gets real bad she had to stay there. I try to keep her company over face time but she looked miserable and I felt so bad. She had almost all of the symptoms so she was definitely feeling it. So I decided to try and do something for her so she is feeling less like dying.

After thinking about how to help her out I decided to make a little gift basket to keep her spirits up and keep her health up too. I put in some gatorade to give her strength even though she can't taste anything. I put a heating pad in there for her aches and pains too. I try to fill things up to make her smile and give her something to do while she's alone. Some puzzles to pass the time and one of my favorite books to read in bed. I fill the rest of the basket with some energy boosting fruits and some candies because even if you can't taste candy it is still good. I pull everything together and wrap it up before going to her apartment and placing the basket in the front door. I text her that it's there once I get back to my car and she calls me immediately thanking me. But it's the least that I could do for one of the few people in this world I couldn't bare to lose. I already lost dad to this virus I didn't want to lose her too, though her case is considered mild.

"You know that was a lot of fun putting that together. We should make care packages but for the nurses and doctors in the area hospitals" I say as I sit with Jon in the kitchen. He was getting better at the stove and I was getting better at cheering him on from the other side of the island.

"I'm not sure they want gatorade and skittles" he teases.

"No. But they would actually enjoy the gatorade because they'll be able to taste it. And they might enjoy some heathy foods that's good for them and give them energy for long shifts. We can give them some things from their families since things are getting bad and they won't see them all that often. Comfort things that when you're having a bad day in the hospital they can think about and they'll have a little peace of mind" I explain.

He stops for a second before smiling at me. "You're one of a kind, you know that" he asks.

"Is that such a bad thing" I question.

"No" he smirks.

"I just think it's crazy that people throw money at people like me when there's so many people out there that could use it. And I'm not complaining about making money because this is my job, but they give me money for simply saying their name, wearing their products, eating their food. And what am I doing compared to these people saving lives? They deserve all the things I get more than myself. It's almost thanksgiving and these people don't get to see their families. They're afraid to touch their kids, scared that they will get them sick. Can't have people over because they can be carriers for the virus. I get money for my name and these people get thrown a double overtime shift because Silly Sally decided getting drunk and going to a frat party was more important than valuing her own life. I love that I have a platform but hate, I hate so much that people just hand me things. I can more than afford them why give them to me for free? It's all backwards. I might have had money growing up but my parents worked for every cent to their name. They worked their asses off and my mom still does. She's old enough to retire, dad had life insurance because working on the farm has its own health issues. But she looks around and sees a world falling apart and she has what it needs to be put together again. We worshipped nurses for what they did back in April and now they're working twice as hard and no one seems to care. Everyone seemed to have forgot the people who killed them selves knowing it wasn't going to get better in those hospitals. And I just want, no, I need those people to know that they are needed and they are loved" I explain.

"I wish everyone thought like you did. Or at least have some of your heart" Jon claims.

"I just want this world to be a better place. They always say if you don't like it here then leave, but there's nowhere I can go that hate can't be found. So we stay and fight for what's right" I say.

"You've been watching too much Star Wars" he accuses.

"There's no such thing" I laugh.

"Well I'm down for making care packages. But you need to eat lunch first or you'll work right through it and I'll have to hear you complain that you're hungry" he accuses.

"Fair enough" I smile.

So I eat the wonderful lunch he made and call in a few favors to people I work with and we get started. We construct some baskets and fill them up with goodies I had delivered from stores or from friends. It's gonna take us a day or two to get them out to people but I'm hoping they'll come in time to give a little hope to the people who see the darkest of days.

I see Oreo crawl into one of the baskets because he is obsessed with the baskets and I just laugh. "Sorry girly, you're staying here with us" I say as I take her out.

"I don't know how they feel about a cat running around the hospital" Jon insists.

"They would either really love it, or really hate it" I chuckle.

"Hey, I hated the idea at first too. But they'll come around" he claims.

"They always do" I smirk.

We finish for the night before it was time to turn in. So we got to our room that had a projector set up for movies in bed. We finally get around to watching Hamilton and I installs fall in love with it. I wanted to watch it when it came out back in July I just never got to it with Jon about to leave and me going to LA. Now I know for a fact I need a Hamilton themed video on my channel. Just not with me singing.