“Where is everyone?” John asked the pastor. “I’ve got everything ready. The printed programs are in the pews and on the chairs, the hymnals are placed in the seat backs. I’ve put bottled water strategically around the chapel. The service is scheduled to start in five minutes, but no one is here. What’s going on?”
“John, didn’t you get my email?” The pastor asked.
“I don’t recall seeing it,” John said.
“I see,” the pastor said. “The bishop felt that, given these new, more highly transmittable strains of the virus, we should resume virtual services again until further notice.”
(99 words)
Written for the Friday Fictioneers prompt from Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Photo credit: Marie Gail Stratford.
This is reality rather than fiction in most places.
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Unfortunately, that’s true.
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Indeed.
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I’m just thinking, don’t drink the water. It was when I unscrewed a water bottle and took a drink — after shaking some hands — that it first dawned on me — back in March of 2020 — taking more care was going to be necessary. It was too late. While my state didn’t have an outbreak early on, that venue and my neighborhood had early cases because people travel. (I didn’t give it to anyone else, though.)
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I liked John’s optimism, do not blame the virus–instead look at the decisions being made to mitigate the problem. Unfortunately the analysis will come too late for some.
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John’s infectious optimism is the way forward. But then again, we live in dangerlous times.
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When dystopian fiction became historical; great use of the photo!
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Thanks, Irene.
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Oh dear. Poor John. What a let-down.
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Wise Bishop.
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Mask up and stay safe. Great story. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks. You too!
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They just said on the news here that we have our first three cases of the newest strain of the virus. I hope without end that it doesn’t not cause many more deaths.
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