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The Secret Glee of Shy People and Plan-Cancelers in Coronatimes
Social distancing is a way of life for some of us
COVID-19 has had some interesting side effects: In my case, chapped knuckle skin from all that hand-washing, a strange stockpile of boxed soups my children will never actually eat, and a lot — a whole lot! — of canceled plans.
There’s the conference I’d been looking forward to but also slightly dreading. The girls-night drinks put off to an unspecified future date. The many, many work meetings either canceled or done remotely from my kitchen table. It’s the best!
Just to be clear: I don’t want to minimize the suffering of people who have been personally affected by the virus or the very real fears of the devastation still ahead. But in these busy times, many of us introverts have found the stern admonishments to practice “social distancing” to be kind of a relief.
People who already prefer working from home are celebrating — quietly, separately, invisibly. Joke’s on you, coronavirus, because we already know all the Work From Home Things! Put on pants? They’re on! Take a walk every day? We’ve got our route planned out, and yes, it goes by the café with the good doughnuts. We’re not trying to be insensitive, but look, we’ve never been the alphas before.
Also celebrating: the plan-cancelers. Who among us does not know the joy of the canceled plan? The meetings that could have been emails are now… emails. Conferences, festivals, sporting events, all…
