in march of 2020 I went to a concert by Max Von Essen & Billy Strich. as I was leaving I saw Jeffrey Norman & Daniel Bateman. after a bit of a chat I huggd Jeff & then Daniel. a few days later I went into self isolation as the Covid pandemic began to take more lives.
it was a scary time. a major vulnerable population was the elderly. of course I didn't feel old but I knew the numbers were there. I didn't want my life to end with tubes stuck into me. so I was drastic in my isolation. at first I only left the house for short walks. I was afraid to go into grocery stores which introduced me to services such as Instacart. if someone came to the house -- & that was rare -- I spoke to them thru the window in my guest room. because I wasn't going to the gym I devisd my own exercise regime which included long walks. if I encounterd anyone I knew I spoke but kept my distance. it was a time with no physical contact.
11 months after going into isolation I waitd in line for the first available Covid shot. the woman who gave me the injection of course took my arm first. I was overwhelmd. I told her she was the first person to touch me in almost a year. that was the longest period of my life I'd gone without any kind of touch.
last nite Cinema Diverse came to an end with the world premiere of an indie film calld "Love, Venezia." its star was Daniel Bateman. on screen he has physical contact with several men -- concluding with some intense interaction. I was full of emotion remembering that he was the last person I touchd before my 11 months in a quiet life of distancing & masks. as I was leaving he ran up to me & gave me a hug. he had no way to know how much that meant to me. my 2020 hug to him & now his to me.
life is full of twists & turns. I always try to make sense of them. to put things in order. to make art out of everything. writing this brings back that strange time with which we all dealt. & how the simplest of touches can resonate.
