Member-only story
What Was It Like To Fly to California During the Coronapocaplyse?
Braving Essential Travel
The library where I worked had closed. I was safe in my cozy little house, sheltering on my own, with lots of books and plenty of coffee, and my piano.
I’m 65. When it comes to Covid-19, that puts me in a high risk category. I knew what I had to do to stay safe. Stay home.
But on March 16, my son phoned to tell me that I was needed in California to help deal with an urgent family matter.
The CDC was recommending that travelers at higher risk for COVID-19 complications avoid all nonessential air travel. Unfortunately, this wasn’t nonessential.
I had to be there.
Dreadful Preparations
So, with a feeling of utter dread, I packed a suitcase. (Including four pounds of Starbucks French roast coffee. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I wanted to be caffeinated.)
My sister gave me the N95 mask she keeps on hand to protect her whenever she has to spray paint the cast iron patio furniture.
I put on the mask, swallowed a Valium, and headed to the Philadelphia airport.
I felt very conspicuous wearing that mask in the airport. Only a few folks wore them. And there were…
