Chinatown throwback

Chinatown, Singapore 2018.

Uncles playing checkers in the Buddha Tooth Relic temple square.

One from when the economy wasn’t failing, we could see each other’s faces, and proximity wasn’t taboo because there was no deadly infectious virus.

I hate wearing a mask. It’s uncomfortable, hard to breathe in, and in so many ways, a muzzle. But I wear one because I really don’t want to get sick. And facemasks do massively reduce risk of infection.

It helps that my government has mandated it, so we ALL have to wear one. That has been important. No one feels discomfited wearing this weird thing on their face, because everyone’s doing it.

15 million of us have gotten sick around the world. More of us are getting sicker, faster. Over 600,000 of us have died.

I think back to when this picture was made, and the friend I was walking around Chinatown with. I find myself not quite remembering / believing what it felt like to be there then.

Ordinary life feels like such a long time ago.