Posts with the coronavirus tag

Barris Beat

Zoomageddon

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
The new normal.

All right. It’s time to take stock. I’m sure you are as sick of this lockdown as I am. Like you, I’m fed up not being able to hug members of my family. I’m frustrated each time I walk that I have to avoid friends and strangers on the sidewalk. I’m tired of sanitizing, distancing, minimizing, and washing my hands ’til they’re raw. And if I have to watch one more public service announcement or insurance ad on TV that ends with the same cliché, I may implode.

“It’s unprecedented times,” they say. “And we’re here for you.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Keeping our wits about us

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Lucille Ball in her famous “I Love Lucy” chocolate factory episode (1952).

I’d waited patiently – keeping my two metres of distance. Then, I was next in line to cash out at Zehrs. I started placing groceries on the conveyor, and the young cashier began processing my purchases. Problem was, the sensor that stopped the conveyer automatically at the cash register, suddenly failed. My bananas, sour cream, chips and meats all tumbled together onto her code-reader. She couldn’t scan the barcodes fast enough. We both shrugged and took advantage of the moment to smile at the jumble of food. And I couldn’t resist.

“Have you ever heard of Lucille Ball?” I asked, thinking she was far too young to know.

She looked skyward for a second, “Oh, yeah. Sure,” she said. (more…)

Barris Beat

Isolation defies nature

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Prescribed physical distancing at a bus stop. Vancouver Transit photo.

Monday was Day 10 of our physical distancing. As I’ve done most days of my wife’s and my voluntary isolation, I emerged from my house early enough to retrieve both the newspaper at the foot of my driveway and at my neighbour’s. Coincidentally, he came out his front door at the same time. Keeping our distance, I tossed him the paper.

“How’re you doing?” I asked.

“Bored!” was all he said.

He didn’t have to say another thing. We nodded, smiled. He went back inside. I went on my way. (more…)

Barris Beat

Bridging social distance

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Warning sign posted at Uxbridge Arena, March 16, 2020.

We hadn’t seen each other or talked for a while. I had gone outside Sunday afternoon, partly to get some air, but also to escape the assault of bad news about the coronavirus pandemic. But suddenly this friend dropped by for a visit in my backyard. The conversation was really welcome, but of course it was mostly about things closing, Canadians trying to get home or when this all might end. Eventually I asked how he and his family were doing.

“OK, mostly,” he said, and he then gingerly explained a member of his family had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment.

“I’m sorry,” I said. But what I meant was, “Sorry that I let all this global chaos get in the way of caring about you and your family first.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Keeping social media in perspective

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
They are few, but this Facebook posting inviting readers to send veteran Fred Arsenault a birthday card, was a redeeming use of social media.

It’s just over a year now – Feb. 9, 2019 – that a young woman produced a video that showed her pitching a patio chair from a balcony 45 floors above the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto. Her stunt on Snapchat got thousands of social media hits. Instagram later picked it up and carried her response to the resulting charges of mischief endangering life.

“Chair girl wants charge dropped,” social media outlets said. (more…)