Paid Leave

Ever since the Coronavirus hit

and became a major threat to public health

I've been calling out sick from work.

It's a pretty cushy job with

The U.S. Census Bureau

in a giant call center in Tempe.

But somehow, the very idea

of sitting in giant room

with 200 plus 

people seated in cubicals 

all packed together

breathing the same recycled air

for eight hours a day

seemed like a quick way to get infected.

And as of recently,

I've been staying with my Mother

who has a compromised immune system

and would most likely die, if she caught it.

So for the past five days

I've called in sick to work.

Well, today was payday

my first check and I desperately needed it.

Penny in HR told me, that checks would be distributed outside the building.

I got there 

in blue latex gloves and medical face mask

and there was no one outside, no checks being passed out.

Reluctantly, I went inside and whattya know

they're passing out checks in the 

motherfuckin' break room.

A long line of people

snaking all around the room and down the hall.

Nearly 200 people, standing shoulder to shoulder

all waiting to sign for their paycheck.

I stood in line

for maybe 8 minutes or so

getting stares from people

that weren't wearing gloves or a face mask.

A young black kid with dreads, said,

"Shit ain't that bad man. It's just the media."

I laughed under my blue mask

"Oh yeah? Hey, tell that to Italy and they're 4,000 dead. They don't even got room for all the dead bodies over there!"

I remembered, Penny from HR and said, fuck it.

I walked down the hall and into HR.

"Will you please get my check?"

Penny jumped up from her desk.

"Oh! Of course, I'm so sorry! Give me just a minute..."

Penny said, taking my driver's license from my already outstretched hand.

"You can wait in my office, if you like." She said, warmly.

"Thank you, but I think, it'll be best if I just don't touch anything." 

"Good point!"

And we both laughed nervously.

Two minutes later and she was back with my check.

"There you go and again, I am so sorry about that, Mr. Valdez."

"Thank you. I thought checks were going to be given outside?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to do, but...I was vetoed."

Penny said, with a defeated tone. I felt bad for her.

She seemed like a genuine and good person.

I walked out of there

knowing damn well

that I'd never set foot in that building ever again.

One week later

and they shut down the call center.

'Closed for disinfecting, until further notice'

There's a lot of rumors out there

that President Trump 

will declare martial law

and a complete lock down

before the end of the week.

Or maybe he won't.

Who fucking knows?

Each morning

I awaken to the horrors of

this ever changing world

with this ever worsening virus

all this bad news

brought to me

by the innocent blue glow

of my goddamn cellphone.

What a world.