we cheat a little all the time – we stay close to home, don’t make secret calls to our hairdresser to come over and cut our hair, don’t visit with friends much, don’t shop. But it is almost impossible not to see grandchildren – There are two different sets of kids who really should be meeting at our place, but that is too much for us. so here and there, we visit with a few kids – sometimes one at a time. today one set came for lunch. we did our best to stay away, but a heated game of monopoly made us share dice, shout uncontrollably without social distance, and forget our masks even after the meal. in the background there was a terror of contagion, but the joy overcame the fear.

it is clear that the contagion is contingent on the participation of the public and that participation is contingent on faith in the governing body making the rules. We have been trying very hard to obey all the rules despite our lack of faith in the purity of the motives of our government. it is clear that the concessions the prime minister has to make to minority parties in order to keep the coalition are not based on science, but we keep our heads down. We don’t go to demonstrations for fear of contagion.

or maybe because we’re more afraid of what government will replace the one we topple.