Table talk

I have three dinner mates. Two have come to the facility only recently, are former neighbors, and are tea party members. This is for real. Their way or the highway. They campaigned loudly and long for the Ohio super majority amendment, which was resoundingly defeated. The third table member is Rose, a conservative, probably a Republican, but completely open minded.

Tonight's table talk was about Covid, and the general shut down of the population during the recent crisis. We asked our server if all meals had been served in rooms during that time, and she said Yes, and that it had been as awful for them as for the residents. Personally, I think the residents had it worse, with little human contact.

The talk turned to vaccinations. One tea partier recited how many injections will be required; two for covid, two for flu, and I don't remember the last injection. The two tp's were actually bullying Rose to say she would not be vaccinated, and I stepped in.

My hand shot up and I said I'd be there to tell them the efficacy of the shots, which surely would be combined to two. Rose mumbled that at her age she wouldn't risk skipping. One of the tp's also is ninety, and started back on Rose for agreeing to the shot.

I lost it, and said I couldn't believe she actually thought she would be thrown to the ground and have needles shoved into her arm. "But what about the military!" she sputtered. "You're not in the military. Furthermore, joining the military is voluntary assumption of mandatory inoculations."

And I left the table and came home to my cat. Before I raised my voice a lot more.

Did I ever tell you, Kitty snores. And not just a little. When she is  really, really sleeping, those extra membranes in her throat really vibrate. If I get up in the night for that trip we take, I sometimes sit on the edge of the bed and listen. It's rather comforting, another living being.