The Nice People No. 17

Doozergirl

zagubov said:

DQWD
Our grocery delivery booked a week ago was missing a load of stuff. I went to the local big supermarket. All the things we've worried will run out soon were there, potatoes, toilet roll, paracetamol, only took one packet of each. The pharmacist heard me ask for it and came out recognised me and reminded me I used to teach him and asked how I was doing. Made my day!

Found some money (notes and coins) at the till when I was paying, and thought about what kind of person might have been so distracted they left it and what the next customer might do if they found the money seeing as how greedy and selfish the previous locusts customers there had been recently, so handed in the change to the staff and told them to expect the customer to come back and ask for it.

You are a true gent 😘

Pyxis

Cakeguts, I would recommend that you maybe watch just one news bulletin a day, just to make sure you get all the latest directives and stuff, iyswim. 

GDB2222

We went for a walk on the large open space near us yesterday. It’s 800 acres, and I was amazed how crowded it was. Even on a warm summer day, there’s normally only a fraction of the number of people, and yesterday was a chilly March day. Overall, closing the nation’s pubs, shopping centres, etc, may have a positive effect on the nation’s health. There were lots of families out playing, people walking and running,  and alas groups of people getting together convivially to spread the virus. 

GDB2222

No paracetamol available at the moment, when I looked, but you could stock up hugely with Ibuprofen. We bought some bottled water, because we like it. I’m sure that there’s going to be a run on it any day now.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 said:

We went for a walk on the large open space near us yesterday. ... I was amazed how crowded it was. 

The National Trust shut its buildings and said it was leaving car parks and open spaces free for people to enjoy, so they could get their exercise.  They were mobbed.  Utterly mobbed.  After just one day they have now issued a statement to say they are not now open and people should stay away. 

Mobbed they were. 

Lots of newspaper coverage too of how mobs descended on seaside resorts and everybody was mixing and mingling as if nothing was going on. Vast crowds.  Everybody headed for the coast.  

This morning I've seen beach cafes making statements that: after yesterday's mobbing it can't go on. Tables and seats will be removed to save people from themselves.  They will remain open, but if people aren't keeping their distance they'll immediately pull down the shutters. 

I went out first thing, about 7ish, just to get a bit of fuel for the car before anybody else was about.  That was it for me.  

PasturesNew

The schools were closed, so parents (where possible) could keep their kids/families safe, together, at home.  

Many people are playing Pick & Mix with advice, only picking out the good bits, then twisting it to fit their choice.  They turned "it's good to go out and get exercise" from one bit + National Trust "exercise is good/come and have a bit" into meaning "Ah, just ignore it, take your family out.  All those doom-mongers, we're immortal, that's not for us. We're having fun and you can't make us stay in". 

I say: They were dying to take their kids out!  

My stock answer is harsh, along the lines of: If you took your kids out in that crowd... you won't even get to pick the children's home they go and live in if they brought it back to your house and you die.  

Or: There's one bed in the ICU, but both your kids need it as you let them out to play with their friends. Quick, which is your favourite child of the two that need it? Quick, if you don't answer in 15 seconds we're putting their friend in it. 

GDB2222

Neither of the kids will need an ICU bed. Kids are very good at spreading the virus to parents and grandma though.

Pyxis

GDB2222 said:

We went for a walk on the large open space near us yesterday. It’s 800 acres, and I was amazed how crowded it was. Even on a warm summer day, there’s normally only a fraction of the number of people, and yesterday was a chilly March day. Overall, closing the nation’s pubs, shopping centres, etc, may have a positive effect on the nation’s health. There were lots of families out playing, people walking and running,  and alas groups of people getting together convivially to spread the virus. 

Yes. ☹️ I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Cry, probably.
Trouble is, the directives haven’t really been stern enough. Even Bojo, when asked if he would be seeing his elderly mother on Mothering Sunday said  mumble mumble he would probably be working mumble mumble but that he’d probably see her. 

GDB2222

DW just said, after I made a bad CV joke: “Have you any idea how awful it would be for me if you died now?”

ukcarper

GDB2222 said:

Neither of the kids will need an ICU bed. Kids are very good at spreading the virus to parents and grandma though.

Death rate for 10-19 year olds is 0.2%, 2 in a thousand approx 2 in normal comp school. OK not everybody is going to get it so probably lower but still high enough to think about.