“The Fifth Light of COVID-19”

One: Wash your hands.
Two: Cough into your elbow.
Three: Don’t touch your face.
Four: Stay six feet away from others.
Five: Feel sick? Stay home. This glaringly obvious
piece of common sense blinds with a flash.
Don’t try and be a heroic workaholic.
Spare the copy machine, the conference room
table, the microwave in the break room and
the elevator buttons the spread of microorganisms.
The solution shines brightly: shelter in place,
get rest, drink plenty of water. But this option
is a trick of the mind. There is no paid sick leave.
No way to pay the bills. The disorienting mirage
burrows into your brain and makes you want to
scream, “There . . . are . . . Four . . . lights!”