Social Distancing Begins at Home

I had a lot practice as a kid and teenager with social distancing.

We were the family that dwelt apart — from each other and our four closest neighbors (meaning close in distance). No hugging, no kissing, no affection, no saying “I love you” no crying when somebody died — you could cry when you got spanked — but that didn’t happen often due to The Voice.

My father Boomed and stuff shook especially my sister and me. He used intimidation and threatening posturing to keep us in-line. My father used His Voice — like a Jedi mind trick before George Lucas even had a glimmer of that. “Luke — you will not do that.” This was the normal thing. Lots of yelling and screaming.

My mother had to scream at us, especially in the car for whatever. We did lots of whatever all the time. “Wait to your father gets home. He’s going to give you such a lickin.” The many times my mother used that threat — well no spanking or slapping ever happened mostly. But we knew we were in trouble.

“Frankie, don’t eat all the ice cream.” My mom would admonish me.

“Who are you saving it for?”

“It’s for people who come over,” she said.

“By the time they do come over, if ever, it will have freezer burn and be awful bad. Totally uneatable. So, I have to eat it.” I said.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you,” she said as I scooped heaps of ice cream into a bowl and drizzled chocolate sauce on top. She knew what I was saying.

It was because Dad didn’t just use The Voice on me and my sister. He used it on my Mom and my Mom’s friends, and the neighbors too anybody who came over to socialize with my parents. Who wants to be around that kind of stuff. He was training the neighbors to practice social distancing too. He liked distance so he could do whatever he wanted so long as nobody did it with him — unless it was his one war buddy who came over for a drink — one drink every 6 months or so.

Seeing I grew up as a shy awkward withdrawn kid I saw social distancing as a good thing until I reached my 30s and then I started to come into my own with others etc. after many failed attempts in my 20s.

Now with the COVID19 thang I’m good at social distancing.

Its comfortably uncomfortable because it reminds me of the good old / bad old days.