I heard a radio person refer to this time as "the Great American Lockdown". After only a few days, I now understand why there was a period of time when the occupants of the Secret Annexe didn't speak to each other.
In a biography of Anne Frank, the writer noted that there were a few weeks where some of the occupants didn't communicate except by writing notes. Anne, herself, noted that two of the men hadn't spoken to each other in about ten days.
After being homebound with husband and child for only a few days, I now have a little better understanding as to why they weren't talking.
When you are in close quarters for a length of time, people end up getting on each others' nerves. Everything they do bugs you. I read once, about two people trapped in Antarctica for about seven months, was that the biggest thing was not the ice and the fear and the solitude, but it was that one of the men made the same sound brushing his teeth every night.
Now, throw in the fact that you cannot get away from each other, that you can't go outside, that you can't make noise during the day; that you cannot run water, you cannot flush a toilet . . . and put together eight people, with different habits, different temperaments, different ages . . . and there is a recipe for possible disaster.
I have it much better than Anne Frank and her family. Today I went up the street to look for English muffins. They were not available, because bread is at a premium. But I did find bananas, frozen peas and carrots, four bags of potato chips, and four packages of hot dogs! (Score!)
I can get out of the house, get fresh air; I have Internet to connect me to the world and the TV/radio to give me necessary information.
Unlike the members of the Secret Annexe, I can get a break.
So, let's join in together with our theme song:
It's the end of the world as we know itIt's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine!
Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.
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