We must stay positive in difficult times, but its difficult in the face of a Tsunami of news that even the most ‘glass if half full’ optimist has to look at with askance.
The most difficult part of all this, aside from those who have contracted the virus, is how it is affecting our industry. I had word yesterday from Ace Parking’s Keith Jones that he was forced to lay off 80% of his staff. That’s over 4,000 people that don’t have a source of income any longer. Keith told me that he simply had no choice. His revenue was down 95%. There was no money left and he had to protect his company so he would be there when things turned around and he could hire back his staff.
I can only imagine how those laid off are dealing with the financial and emotional issues and I can only imagine how Keith felt when he had to tell his staff, many of them friends, that they no longer had jobs.
Its easy to say that we will come out of this better, stronger, and positioned to face the future, but while we are in it, little looks great.
Let’s face it, we won’t be back to ‘normal’, whatever that is, until people are back to work in their offices, until restaurants and clubs are opening and functioning, and shops and malls are open and people are feeling confident in using them. I’m afraid it won’t be a flip of a switch. It will get better on a day by day basis.
I have already had reports that folks are a little ‘squirrely’ staying at home and dealing with each other. And its only been, what, a week. What happens when it’s a month. My guess is that folks will be itching to get back out there and interact with the world.
The worst part is the great unknown. How long will it be? If we get moving again, how long til I get my job back? Since I have no time frame, how can I plan?
I have no solution except to point out that this will probably be weeks and not months. We are a resilient people. We don’t take these things lying down. We fight back and are fighting back now. There are glimmers of hope in spite of the doomsayers. Washington State is seeing a dropping off in number of cases. The use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for treatments is showing some positive benefits. Testing in the US is increasing every day.
Americans are not losers. If we can get by the “if it bleeds, it leads” media, we can beat this thing. Social distance, wash your hands, look out the window and laugh and enjoy at all the people walking their dogs.
JVH
