Saturday, May 23 - Icing on the Cake

By Josette, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Hello, out there world. It’s been a couple of weeks. Sorry about that, but the times – they be a challengin’.

It’s been over two months now – pure quarantine.
The only real face-to-face interaction I’ve had with anyone has been with my neighbors who live below me. I had to help them deal with another neighbor who decided that he didn’t like any of us foreigners living in this building. Amongst a string of obscenities, he made sure to let the whole world know – both in the building and on the street in front of the police – that us immigrants should all go back to our countries. The icing on the cake was when he not only assaulted my neighbor, but basically assaulted the police officer, and the police did nothing. And the police made sure to ask for our ID numbers so they could input them into their fancy machines and make sure we were legally allowed to be here. But did they take the non-foreigner guy who lives in the nice neighborhood to the police station for assaulting people? Nope.
To make a long story short, it's made it super difficult for me to deal with anything else last week. It is not the time for aggressive behavior – but who knows the real story here. Perhaps in another time, I would have taken such an attack as personal, but I was at least proud of myself that I didn’t let it get to me – other than the fear of having to have another encounter with this person. It’s just a complete buzzkill.

Around the same time all of that was going on, a new neighbor moved in next door to me with her 3-year old daughter. Unfortunately for me, this person is a loud talker, so I hear everything as if they were in my apartment. I do not believe that there should be ANY noise that is not your own; that is the first thing you hear when you wake up, and the last thing you hear when you go to sleep. The earplugs don’t help. However, I am a DJ. So, hello music.
I have to say it’s starting to wear me down – being within such proximity to people who are not very nice – or at least, under these circumstances, don’t appear to be. And it just makes it that much harder on everyone.

We have more quarantine ….more quarantine. If China is finally opening up again and it’s been six months since it started, then I have hope for…August?
The weather is getting chillier here, and the number of cases is starting to skyrocket. That combined with the inflation that is out of control and it’s a bit dire down here economically-speaking. I’ve been trying to move, but as always, I might as well just cut off my right leg as moving is unnecessarily and extremely complicated.
So yes, we had about a week of strangely warm weather for autumn, but it is now officially autumn. Nice and chilly and windy. People are starting to get fed up with quarantine. I know many people who have broken and are breaking quarantine – yet the numbers continue to go up? I want to break quarantine…can I?
Still, going out in the street is a challenge – too many people not wearing their masks either properly or at all while walking in the street; too many people not respecting social distancing. Just because you wear a mask, doesn’t mean you can be at a normal distance. I often end up having to walk in the street with the cars just so I don’t have to pass by people.
I am constantly frustrated at the number of people who just stand around a doorway or a point of entry on their phones – and I stand a few feet away patiently,
“Excuse me; I’d like to pass by you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Actually, could you please step back a bit so I can pass?”
“Oh, I’m not going to give you the virus.”
“I’m asthmatic, so I’d prefer if you’d back up.”

Why do I have to ask you to back up? Isn’t it my right to be safe? Although studies are showing asthma is actually not such a big deal, I find that I still have to use it as an excuse.
80% of the cases in Argentina are asymptomatic! Hello!

Neighbors, failing internet, a tooth issue, economic issues, cockroaches (lots of them)…everything “is not coming up Jojo.” But, I know it’s just a blip. I’ll get through it – I don’t have a choice!
A DJ in the fancy neighborhood of Recoleta was playing music in his apartment (I’m not sure how loud), but some lovely neighbors decided to call the police on him. Apparently, other neighbors were actually out in the street showing their support. I mean, DJs have to play in their apartments and transmit online – it’s what the world is right now. Let us play! As long as we aren’t going past the “quiet hours,” just “cerra el orto” (direct translation: close your ass – actual translation: stop your bellyaching) and enjoy!
On a happier note, there is more cake!

I actually had to send some of this cake to my friend – motorcycle delivery, of course – sadly, it hasn’t made much of a dent in all the cake that is in my freezer (carrot cake included). Anyone want any cake?
Or a cockroach?

Don’t worry – I’ll keep on keeping on as long as you promise to do the same.
One love.

Josette

 

 

This diary entry is part of Kai’s collection, from an upcoming book titled The Lighthouse, his second collection of COVID-19 diary entries, this one is a collaboration of voices from around the globe. He shares with them iChongqing, and at www.theinvisiblewar.co.