Suburban Phoenix in the good old days - a week ago ago, March 2020


It's Monday, March 23rd, 2020, and I'm remembering what suburban Phoenix was like back in the good old days, a week ago. If you're reading this right now you understand, because it's only been in the last few days that life seems to have come to a standstill because of the precautions of the coronavirus. If not, I'll see if I can explain.

Since there's no vaccine for the virus yet, people all over the world are being asked to simply do what is being called "social distancing". That is, since this virus can be transmitted by touch, or through the air, with a couch, like the flu, right now the idea is to just keep away from everyone. Six feet away is the recommended distance, and no groups of ten or more. Non-essential medical stuff, like going for a checkup at the dentist, has been put on hold for a while.

Time-travel with me. You may be wondering if I'm kidding, but I'm not. I place no restrictions on when I can visit old-time Phoenix, and today we're setting the way back-machine to a week ago. And this underlines everything that I hold dear about my time-traveling, which is not to wish for days gone by, but to visit them, and get that feeling.

By the way, I live in Glendale, right near the border of Peoria, and as far as I can tell this area is typical of the suburbs of Phoenix. It's a place of cul-de-sacs, and people traveling in SUVs with tinted windows. More sophisticated urbanites might consider it slightly dull, without gourmet restaurants, or stuff like that, but I've always been happy here. I've never been much for restaurants, anyway.

A week ago I went for my regular checkup at my dentist. Other than a few stray signs taped up on the walls there, everything seemed to be perfectly normal. Dentists always wear masks anyway, and are scrupulously clean. The Dunkin' Donuts next door to them had closed their dining area, but there were plenty of cars using the drive-through. After the dental visit I went over to the Walmart Neighborhood Market to buy some bananas, and there were some empty shelves, but other than that, it seemed fine.


Just three days ago I went to my local iHop, which still had the dining room area open. Not so anymore. I visited yesterday morning and got a to-go coffee. Inside the dining room was dark, no one was there except the manager and a few staff people who were mostly just cleaning. Like I say, I've never been much for restaurants, but I've gone there several times in the twenty-plus years that I've lived in the neighborhood, and it just seemed kinda sad.

Sorry, I didn't mean for this post to be sad. People who know me know that I'm a relentlessly cheerful and optimistic person, and I know that this time will pass, and soon this day itself will be history. When things go back to normal, it will be all the more wonderful, and precious. I may even look forward to going to the dentist again, and I sure will have some pancakes at iHop!

Stay safe, be well.
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