The Apocalypse Diaries (Day Eight: 3-20-2020)

~ Yousef Alqamoussi

Not for children

Nobody knows what day it is anymore. The President said “please” on Wednesday, as in, “Any questions, please?” Swans and dolphins appeared in the Venice canals. Governor Gavin Newsom of California has ordered all residents to stay home. Italy’s death toll has exceeded China’s. Severe storms and tornadoes hit the central US last night. The WIFI is slower today. As of this moment, the World Health Organization is reporting 254,493 total coronavirus cases with 10,439 deaths and 89,070 recovered. A pet birdie is dying. Denial is a remedy for fear. A former student texted me to thank me for everything. Pandemics don’t happen to us. A cat meows on my front porch. Call from “Scam Likely”. Birds, birds, everywhere. No more screens give me a face Breathe how far down the lungs can you reach? Count to ten to twenty a thousand ten thousand a zillion. It’s ten steps from this point to the kitchen. I forgot to send Shawn a list of book recommendations. Lysol kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, but what about the other 0.01%??? Laundry dishes dusting bills lessons Census appointments transfers funds fingernails why. Free          fall

f r

e

e

f

a

l

l

Adam, I wrote a book in a week, while you took a walk in the woods. Remember our walks in the woods? Hum “Ode to Joy” as you wash your hands: sixteen measures with four beats per measure for a total of thirty-two beats means if you scrub during the first twelve measures and then rinse during the last four then in keeping 4/4 time you will have finished properly washing your hands by time the song is over! Everybody!

# #

        

      # # 4

   

with

soap

   
&  

hands

  

and

  

4

Wash

your

    

wa

 
        

ter

# #

        

# # 4

        
&   

and

sa

   

4

  

hands

   

ni

tize.

 

Wash

your

      

# #

        

# # 4

   

for

if

   
&  

hands

  

you

  

4

Wash

your

    

don’t

 
        

then

# #

        

# # 4

        
&   

your

    

4

  

all

 

friends

   
 

You

and

    

will

die.

# #

      

a

 

  # # 4

     

them

gain

 
&  

hands

 

wash

   

        4

Wash

your

 

and

   and
        

 

# #

  

a

     

  # # 4

 

them

gain

  

ter’s

  
&

Wash

  

for

Pe

   

4

        
       

sake.

 

Now, rinsing!

# #

        

# # 4

   

don’t

touch

   
&  

dry

  

your

  

4

Rinse

and

    

face

 
        

to

# #

        

  # # 4

        
&   

rus

    

4

  

vi

 

go

 

a

way.

 

Make

the

      

NOTES

Birds, birds, everywhere “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Day Nine.