Schools Are Done

Jay Jay High School -- Hopewell Jct, NY

I'm pissed.

New York schools officially closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year a few minutes ago, per Governor Andrew Cuomo. Connecticut is sure to follow.

And, frankly, at this moment, if your response is to tell me "It's the right thing to do" or "There was no other way," TAKE TODAY OFF.

IGNORE THIS POST.

I'm tired of the fighting I see over this. I had to watch a post of mine drop into political idiocy the other day. I've been rational about this whole thing. I've tried so hard.

Today, I'm not.

My son lost his senior year. So did a lot of others.

And, right now, this is my avenue to spew.

I need these feelings right now.

I'm mad.

Hurt.

Distressed.

Disgusted.

I'm not even sure who I'm furious at. Sure, I don't like the politicians. But that's easy pickings.

I'm doing what any parent would do -- defending my son and his friends and the many other seniors I've met and know.

In my world, when someone hurts, I rage for them, especially when they won't or don't.

So, why am I spouting?

Sean, just now: "I'm upset by this, yeah, but I can't get mad over it. There's really nothing I can do, so it just seems like a waste of energy."

He's a smart kid. So, I'll explode for him.

And, frankly, I've lost a large amount of income to this. Gone is literally all of my springs sports. No Mahopac, John Jay, Greenwich, Brunswick, Fairfield.

I drove by a store -- a store that is about back yards -- and they're OPEN. Like, I'm glad they're open, but HOW ARE THEY ESSENTIAL? (And don't suggest to me they're some kind of hardware store or whatever. Right now I'm not interested)

The messages have been mixed. One day positive. The next negative. Mostly, a ton of gloom and doom.

I don't dispute the numbers. I don't dispute the issues. I've talked to too many people.

But, still.

The prom --likely, gone. Graduation -- same. Memories -- changed. No overwrought farewell music concert that probably would have had me in tears.

Right now, I do not want to hear about silver linings. I'll see them AFTER I work through this.

Where, oh where, is the line? What's it going to take? See you in 2021? See you in 2022?

I'm mad. Just mad at the whole thing.

This is my outlet to get rid of it.

Let me rant.

Allow me -- and others -- to feel irrational and raw.

I'll come back down off the bridge, which I seem to do on a daily basis.

Then we'll move on.