The Echo

Dear Readers, I apologize as you are about to be on the receiving end of a vent: Yesterday, I sat in one of Delaware's "non-urgent" Urgent Care Centers waiting to be diagnosed with bronchitis. Yah me! At 10:30 am, it was standing room only. The computer systems were failing. And the patients were all a-chatter about the "likely-to-be-nothing" Hurricane Sandy.

I bit my tongue as I was unable to tune out the stories of stir-crazy caused by Illene a year ago. Oh yeah, I just had to get out of the house and take a drive, said the darling in the tight pants as he texted to gal next to him.  Oh, I know, but the roads were fine.  There was no reason to order cars off the roads.  And then to his friend You spelled "tomorrow" wrong.  And then there was mom with her kindergartener - Theys knocking on my door this morning putting papers in our faces.  They tried to make us leave last time, too.  All we got was a little water in the basement.  I'm not leavin.'

So here is my message - MY husband is what is known as essential personnel.  By job and reaffirmed by law,  he is required to report to work and assist other employees in getting to work when a state of emergency is declared and vehicles are ordered off the road.  Every Delawarean who defies this order without a legitimate cause puts the lives of my husband and  the thousands of others' loved ones in tremendous danger when you add an unneeded vehicle to the mix.  You are not just risking your life, you're risking the lives of innocents who have accepted the serious responsibility of working in capacities that are essential to the lives of others. 

Just who are essential personnel? They are not simply state employees such as DelDot, Police, Fire, and Ambulance.  Healthcare employees at hospitals and nursing homes are necessary to care for and feed our sick and elderly.  Doctors are essential.  Those making fuel deliveries are essential to keep fleets going.  First responders are essential.  Utility workers are essential. 

Stir-crazy jerks are not essential. Stay off the roads.

Yesterday, I came home to hurricane prep.  Despite having a confirmed diagnosis of bronchitis, I spent hours outside securing our home and property.  Husband gave me a tutorial in the finer art of using a generator (remember, with my partner serving Delaware's neediest during the storm of century, I am sheltering in place with two kids, one identified with special needs.) We'd leave, but with four cats and a basement prone to flooding, someone has to make sure there's something to return to...

This is the plight of spouses, children, significant others, parents, etc of the essential worker.  We accept it because taking care of you is the right thing to do.  So, please do our essential workers and their families a favor - stay off the roads so that good people like my husband can come home to their families once this disaster has passed.

Please, just get off the roads!