The Future, Near and Far

It was never my intention to write about the pandemic in this weekly blog. I'm not a doctor, not a nurse, not a scientist nor a medical researcher either. I'm just a guy from Brooklyn who's now living in this English port city and observing the things around me. However, since there are no bistros or bars to visit, no museums or landmarks to explore, I'm left with few options. Every week for the past three months I've considered locking down this blog. We'll see.

I was pleased to see that the Liverpool Football Club won the Primary League Championship for the first time in 30 years. Good stuff. The thuggish behavior of those who consider themselves fans, throwing bottles at police, and setting fire to the historic Liver Building at Pier Head? That's bad stuff. 

Equally upsetting is the fact that almost no one I passed on the streets this weekend was wearing a facemask. More bad stuff. 

This showed up in my email this morning:

"After 15 grueling weeks, New York City has finally turned another important corner in our fight against COVID-19. Working together, we’ve flattened the curve and reached Phase 2 out of 4 in our reopening plans.

Phase 2 includes the return of hair salons/barbershops, in-person retail, and real estate firms.

It also includes the launch of the City’s Open Restaurants program, which allows eligible venues to serve patrons on sidewalks, curb lanes, plazas, and open streets while following social distancing, hygiene, and other health guidance.

Outdoor dining is something that the City Council and I have been strongly advocating for and will help our city’s restaurant industry and its employees get back on their feet more quickly."

This statement comes from New York City Council Speaker, Corey Johnson.

There's a rumor of a similar plan to encourage local bistros and bars to promote outdoor dining here. Alfresco. I hope it works, but I'm less than optimistic that it will. Although we've just had a great deal of warm sunshine, I wonder if Merseyside has the climate to support an outdoor life. And can restaurants turn a profit with just a fraction of their normal customers? Will social distancing work? I walked along Bold Street and Castle Street yesterday and saw nothing like this getting ready to happen. 

So, as usual, speculation is the name of the game.