I was due in for an AFD (A Full Day), but as it was so slow and it was to be the chef and I from yesterday, we’d prepped last night so we can lay in and get in later. This meant I could have breakfast with my kids, so it was a winner all round.
It also meant I could play postman. Abi’s parents were on the vulnerable list, and were diligently following the advice. As we’d lost track of the days following the crisis, we’d forgotten to post the mother’s day cards, so I volunteered to drop them as they could be on the way to Salisbury, where I work. For her folks, who had just got on skype, they saw me at my home for a family ‘happy mother’s day’ wishes, then got the cards 15mins later, posted through the door. They were still on the call to Abi, and were impressed because they hadn’t realised I had left home!!
Contact free, and no stress. My mum was a different issue. She wasn’t buying in to all the hype over the virus, and was insisting on a cuddle. I’d had to ring the doorbell as we were giving her some items too big for the letter box, and that was her chance- a short hug before restoring the distance.
I left her troubled- torn by the need to give her comfort- she lived alone- and the need to protect her in case I’ve unwittingly become a carrier. And that is the real shit about this virus, you don’t know you’ve got it for up to 11 days, and you’re infectious for a fair bit of that. And there is also the chance she has infected me, and I’m destined to bring it home to by wife and kids. I think of alternatives, like staying away for 14 days to be sure, and sleeping at work…
I feel better today, and able to get over my resentment from being sent to the front line by the brass. Well nearly.
I’d cancelled the cleaner so while the chef did the kitchen open I started cleaning the restaurant floors and loos. This helped, because when I was done I had the peace of mind that the restaurant was definitely clean. And didn’t stop there, I closed off the ladies and gents – any members of the public would use the disabled only- and started cleaning the bar area, followed by the dessert area.
I started preparing for the shutdown order we knew had to come. Moving the stock from the front to the kitchen fridges, and cleaning out the fridges and freezers, and behind. Transferring what we could to other restaurants who were still taking the sales.
By the end of the day, we’d taken £62, no walk-ins, but the restaurant was sparkling, and we wouldn’t have too much to do when the shutdown order came in full. Not only that but we’d had three games of uno, a long game of Slam, and an episode of Preppers.
We read about the stupidity of others – contacts on social media reporting that people were still trying to get in pubs, even going in the back doors to ask for a pint. Colleagues in Bournemouth claiming the beaches and parks were full of people, and this 1.5m social distance thing being viewed as optional rather than serious a thing. Supermarkets empty of many things and people buying in bulk the most ridiculous things from loo paper to coleslaw.
It was obvious then that there would have to be tighter restrictions, and I was already preparing the argument for closing my unit completely, we just preyed it would come before we had to open tomorrow and expose ourselves again.
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