ANATOMY OF AN OUTBREAK – Part IV

“Caught in the Devil?s Bargain”

Joni Mitchell, “Woodstock” PART IV

A million virus particles on the head of a pin.

Got it?

It’s not a hundred pins in your lungs; now it’s a thousand…

It’s the 4th of July and the beaches are closed and it’s not Jaws, it’s 19 as the young opposers call it. The Oppose Quarantine movement is estimated at 29% with a +-3 range that spells danger

The police chief, Marvin, wants to load up on rubber bullets, knock a few surfers down and send the message. Some tear gas, he suggests?

The select people, all 7, four men, have that deer in the headlights driving too fast around the Little Boarshead curve on Route 1A look. The gavaleer bangs a time out to meet in non-public session and they duck into the grange building kitchen.

Several flasks emerge, masks come off and the drinks passed around. “Sun Valley. 1971” was inscribed on one.

OK to smoke in here, one asks.

Sure says the chairwoman.

My doctoral work on Agent Orange can be briefly put with the three part question: if a lot of harm was done to a lot of people// part 2- and there was a known exposure to a probable toxin involved in mostly/all cases// is the manufacturer of the toxin liable for damages, the extent of the concept damages to be expanded?

You don’t really think I’d reveal something that important in a cheesy blog, do you?

The devil’s bargain begins at Memorial Day, with a preview on Mother’s Day. the National guard is on alert. This summer I hear the drumming…

The council re-convenes. The grange is pungent with the scents of tobacco and alcohol.

Is there a motion, asks the chairwoman?

What’s the item under discussion comes a question from the floor

There’s an awkward pause…a dear stares into the headlights.

Let’s move on to item 7 suggests the chairwoman.

All in favor?

A rally at the Wheat town beach parking lot draws both sides:

A sign says, “we’re not Wheat NH anymore, we’re toast.”

The surfer’s sign says, “If Jaws 19, go ahead and bite me; let’s ride.”

The surge came and went in May. It was longer but less fatal than predicted.

Predictions indeed: Bruce Springsteen sings that “Did you hear that the cops finally busted Madame Marie for telling fortunes better than they do…?”

The helicopters are firing up. The Partners in Boston are tired of the shut down too . Ciro and Sals awaits in Provincetown, a short walk from the Cafe Blas, which died during the HIV years but rose from the dead, as some say we all will.

Inshallah, indeed.

The ice cream is frozen and your spoon is plastic….