Article By Caron Schwartz
Hanging out in the time of COVID-19 (apologies to Gabriel Garcia Márquez).
Sheltering in place means a whole lot of hanging in. In both senses of the words: staying inside and remaining upbeat.
In times BC (before coronavirus), I’d often “compete” in my personal triathlon: bike ride, coffee shop, bike ride. I’d cycle the Pinellas Trail into downtown St. Pete, put my feet up at any number of fine establishments, enjoy a leisurely coffee break, and head home.
But in these trying times, it’s take-out only. Where is the fun in that? The mystique of cafe life is the “life.” The beverage is essential, but it’s not the point.
So one day I fired up the Nespresso, filled an insulated travel mug, and hit the trail. Instead of the Pinellas Trail, I turned south onto the Skyway Trail. Rolling along the mangrove-lined boardwalk through Clam Bayou Nature Preserve it’s easy to forget you’re less than a mile from I-275. Popping out onto the wide path adjacent to 34th Street South I passed a blazingly blossomed jatropha and paused to catch my breath. I continued to 54th Ave South without seeing anywhere to put my feet up. Remembering benches around Clam Bayou, I banged a U-y, pedal to the metal.
When I found my bench, I was no longer alone; other cyclists had the same idea. My compatriot and I sat safely apart at opposite ends of the bench, each in our own gazing-at-the-water moment. Peace and coffee – a day as complete as it could be under the circumstances.