It's Gonna Getcha IF It's Meant to Getcha!

Let the record show that Hick and I were on a mini getaway early last week, with my sister the ex-mayor's wife, and her husband the ex-mayor. They had planned a weekend trip, and asked if we wanted to meet up in northeastern Oklahoma for a mini casinopalooza on Monday and Tuesday. We were game.

Let the record further show that at the time this plan formed, there were no reported cases of The Virus in Missouri or Oklahoma. When it was time for Sis to leave on Friday afternoon, I think there were 2 cases in Oklahoma, and 1 in Missouri. Not near the areas where we were going. So off we went on Monday.

Sis and Ex-Mayor parked on the big lot at Downstream Casino Resort, where we all had free rooms, to reconfigure their luggage for easy access when the got the valet. The guy driving the shuttle stopped to see if they wanted a ride. When they explained their plan, he said, "Be ready to have your temperature taken when you go in. They're checking everyone."

Good to know. Precautions being taken. A release from the casino had also revealed their extra sanitizing and preventative methods. The Ex-Mayor was convinced we were all going to die, but we talked him down from the ledge. He had brought the face masks he wears when mowing the lawn, and some rubber gloves. Sis told him to wear them, and act like he didn't know us. In the end, he decided not to wear them.

Anyhoo...Sis tipped us off about the temperature-taking. We still pulled our suitcases into the lobby, knowing that we did not have fevers. Hick asked the valet if the casino would be closing. He said, "I don't know. I don't work inside. But I've heard rumors. The thing about rumors is that they're just rumors."

Anyhoo...security had a podium set up at the entrance. The thermometer was like the kind I used to use on my kids' ears, with the little clear plastic sleeve that fit over the pokey part. Only this one just touched against your forehead. Or was supposed to, according to Sis, who had used one on her granddaughter the week before, when she took care of her all week with the flu. But security put the thermometer against our temple. No big deal. We all passed. Got our rooms. Then found out they were also checking at the casino entrance. So to get inside, you had to pass two temperature checkpoints. And wash your hands with sanitizer from their dispenser. We didn't mind.

I may or may not tell some casino stories, but today we're on the VIRUS. It was business as usual at the casino. Nor more, no less people than a Monday afternoon would warrant. Plenty of space to avoid sitting next to someone. We left to start our rounds of other casinos in the area, and discovered that two of them were closed. No others had a temperature check.

Tuesday evening, when we returned to Downstream from our casino rounds, we discovered that Downstream Casino was closing at midnight, and hotel guests had to be out by noon. As we went down to breakfast (no buffet, only table service), Hick noticed that all the pretty plants under the floor-to-ceiling windows had been removed. Only concrete troughs remained. "I guess they're planning on being closed for a while! They called the florist to come get the plants!"

All of us are feeling fine. No ill effects from our trip, although Hick has a cold that he was coming down with already on Monday, caught from his buddies at the Storage Unit Store. Really snotty now, but never had a fever or a cough. In fact, he was over it by Saturday.

BUT HERE'S THE THING!

Friday night, I read in the online local paper that TWO people with The Virus, from out of state, had attended a wedding of 200 people on the Saturday before our trip. And it was held one block from the dead-mouse-smelling post office! RIGHT IN BACKROADS! Five miles from our house! Furthermore, they had been SYMPTOMATIC at the time! And two of the wedding guests work at Walmart, and had been going to work every day, until Friday, when Walmart found out, and made them go home for two weeks. The county health department is trying to track down all wedding attendees to tell them to self-quarantine.

Heh, heh. The Ex-Mayor was freaking out about catching the virus in Oklahoma, when two actual cases were RIGHT HERE AT HOME, the weekend we left for our trip.

No need to worry about Hick and Val. Still feeling fine.