I Aged at Least 25 Years in 2020
Covid-19 brought with it a preview of what my golden years will look like
Each morning now, before I even get out of bed around 7 a.m., I blearily reach for my smartphone and stick its bright screen in front of my face to see how my stocks and options are doing. Just to make sure I didn’t finally ruin myself in the early hours leading up to the opening bell of the stock market.
A few minutes later, I am up and opening a can of urinary-tract-friendly wet cat food for Chuy.
Then, I am watering my herb and vegetable plants after turning on their grow lights. I wander down the driveway in my pajamas like Tony Soprano to pick up the daily newspaper (still a print subscriber, 23 years and counting!).
I make some strong coffee to go with my steel-cut organic oatmeal and toast that I’ll eat as I read the angry Letters to the Editor. I take my allergy pill and my multivitamin before rinsing my dishes, placing them neatly in the dishwasher to avoid attracting ants.
Later in the day, I’m listening to the classic rock station (Zeppelin 4EVER!) on the way to pick up some reserved books and DVDs at my local library, a thread of anger starts rising suddenly in my chest. It flares up through my throat as my vocal cords tighten because it feels like I’m…
