Day 2: California Under Martial Law Lite (This Town Is Becoming Like A Ghost Town)

I was driving the 101 this morning. North. I was listening to 1st Wave on Sirius XM. Someone requested The Specials. "Ghost Town." It doesn't get more on the head than that.

Eureka, CA is a ghost town. Sure, there are some people walking around. They are mainly older people. Often with a dog at their side. Most of the stores are closed or have signs in the window indicating they are closed as of Monday. The restaurants that are open are doing to go orders or delivery. The tables inside empty.

Oddly enough, between today and yesterday I have not seen a single police officer. Not a one. I haven't even heard sirens. There are no more emergencies when the very time you live in is an emergency.

The test came back positive . . . 

The house across the street has been flying an American flag for a few days now. Is it meant to be a symbol of hope or a warning sign of some sort? I imagine it provides inspiration for some. Probably the same people repeatedly posting fake coronavirus stories on Facebook thinking they are true. For people like me, however, it represents failure. A failure on all fronts. After every emergency we say we can do "better." We never really say what that better is. Now, as we are socially isolated we have nothing but time to ponder on what "better" looks like. It's about a 180 from this.

Humboldt tested its second positive case of Covid-19 yesterday. A month from the first one. Some people think that is a good sign. For the more rational thinking among us we know it just means they haven't been testing enough people. "There aren't enough tests." "Unless you came from a high risk country ..." It means everyone can still be a carrier, and it means you can't trust your neighbor, your son, your father. It's a level of paranoia not seen since Carpenter's The Thing.

Day two and it doesn't feel like much has changed. It's just ... quieter. Eureka is a ghost town. Soon, maybe sooner than later, many of its residents will be ghosts, too.

Keep flying your flags, though. We wouldn't want you to lose hope.