Contagion

Prologue Dr. Bentham and I stood in front of Providence Place Mall looking at the deserted streets, looking at the smoke rising from the horizon, with looks of wonder on our face. The contagion swept around the world leaving c*****e and death in its wake. “How could a piece of inert matter protected by microscopic fat be so deadly,” the doctor said with an ironic tone in his voice. The smoke came from the fires being set to destroy medical waste from the hospitals that had been used by the staff working feverishly to help the sick and dying patients! Normal disposal had been overwhelmed so fires had to be used. The fire wiped away the fat leaving the virus defenseless. The doctor was working twelve hour shifts at the hospital and seeing patients in their homes. He said, “I’m too tired to sleep even though I can barely keep my eyes open right now. We are so understaffed that doctors and nurses are loading body bags with those who have died.” Down the street from, a middle aged man seemed to struggle as he walked toward us. He was wheezing while coughing loudly into his face mask. He looked like death warmed over and appeared extremely disoriented. “We need to make sure he doesn’t get within six feet of us. This guy is sick with the virus.” We got ready to move but the man collapsed when he was about ten feet from us. He was trying to speak just before falling on to the pavement. Because Bentham was a doctor, his first instinct drew him closer to the guy but, remembering that he lacked protection, he held back. The man tried to call for help yet only managed to make a weak croak. We stood and watched as he took his last breath. The doctor took out his mobile and called the sanitation center. He said, “There is the body of a man who just passed in front of the mall. Yah, most likely he is infected.” “Thankfully we kept our distance doc; do you really have to go back for another twelve hour shift,” Ed said with sadness in his voice. The shook his head yes, showing humble resignation. He was a handsome, middle aged man with brown, well-groomed hair. He received his medical degree from Brown and served his internship at RI Hospital. His eyes were hazel with a look that cut through any uncertainty. He smiled saying, “Keep recording these terrible events so that others can better respond to the next pandemic!” That was truly my intent but I was not certain that my sense of mission could withstand the onslaught! The smell of acrid smoke set an ominous cloud over our puny existence! I had never felt so lost and overwhelmed. As a young man, I had retained my belief in God but wondere, how such a God could allow this much suffering. I found it extremely interesting when the bishop spoke of this emotion. He was reminded, after preaching about God’s anger, of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul wrote that God does not cause difficulties but provides Grace to guide us through tough times which strengthens us. This revelation blew my mind and forever altered my perspective on bad things happening to good people. What had always astounded me was the times people told me that the doc and I looked like twins. Our meeting was pure chance brought about by my assignment to research the medical system in RI. We immediately hit it off and got together for lunch a couple times a month. The contagion seeped into our community when we thought we could escape the epidemic sweeping most of the country and the world. The President refused to launch a national response because of state’s rights ideology. He thought he could film-flam his way through this crisis like many others. Several countries created the model that successfully leveled the infection rate curve. Unfortunately the US would suffer like other countries that were slow to respond! An overwhelming crises is tailored for heroes who rise against all odds to conquer the challenge. I was there to tell the story that captured the heroics of doctors, nurses, counselors, first responders, victims and the survivors. The onslaught changed everyone forever. The answer eluded us all to the overreaching question: “Does the good really win out over pain and death.” Many found a satisfactory answer while most remained totally in the dark!