“These so-called bleak times are necessary to go through in order to get to a much, much better place.”

― David Lynch

Exactly three weeks ago today, I drove in a rainstorm down to a vaccination hub in Waxahatche, Texas (the hub was set up by my medical provider) for my first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine shot. Today was the end of my waiting period and I was scheduled for my second shot at the same place.

The day was sunny, cool, and beautiful. The drive was easy and the paperwork non-existent. We did enter the large senior center building from one door and exit from another. A large man was walking by yelling, “Why the fuck do they make us leave by a different door!” The exit was a good twenty feet farther from the parking lot. He was very angry. I was mostly grateful for getting immunity from a deadly pandemic.

It was such a nice day and I had driven an hour, so I decided to take a spin on a local Waxahatche bike trail. I threw my bike into the back of my car before I left and after my shot I drove a couple miles to Lion park where a trailhead was. I felt bad about taking up a parking spot – the tiny lot was filling fast due to a kid’s birthday party.

The trail is about four miles each way and runs along Waxahatche Creek past a dog park, downtown bridge, cemetery and finally to Getzendaner Park – a big park in the middle of town.

The weather was beautiful and people were out and about all along the route. Walking dogs, playing basketball, birthday parties, hiking the trail, visiting the cemetery, or riding the mountain bike trails that also run along the creek.

I saw nobody wearing a mask.