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DAY 38: TOTAL CONFIRMED DEATHS 177,445 WORLDWIDE


Fresh, ripe strawberries forced her to break the law.

She had been mostly strict about the rules, the social distancing, the activities that were no longer allowed. But her best friend made a sneak-trip up to their favorite place: the strawberry fields.

It was a magical place where one could pick ripe strawberries off the vine, purchase vats of not only strawberries, but strawberry jams and jellies, even T-shirts and other products with the farm’s logo on it. When they first went, a week before the outbreak became a daily headline, they had taken a hay-ride and indulged on strawberry confections like fresh milkshakes and strawberry angel food cake that were sold out of a small camper off to the side of the little market. Her friend swore she could, “smell the strawberries in the air.” She didn’t smell anything but dirt, but didn’t deny her friend the moment. They came home with a ridiculous amount of huge ripe berries, more than any one human could consume.

Her friend LOVED strawberries. She ended up making strawberry salad, strawberry cookies, strawberry balsamic chicken-strawberries for every meal. She reminded her of the Bubba Gump character from Forrest Gump, but instead of shrimp, it was strawberries with her friend.

The pandemic failed to halt this friend's love and desire from the berries, and she decided to drive the over 80 mile round-trip up to the farm, for more, and of course, she bought a vat for her.

She pulled up to deliver the sweet, red, bundles of joy.

Virtual hug? Her friend asked, arms wide open.

Girl no, she responded, and she went for it. A real hug! From a real person! It was so weird and wonderful at the same time. And she normally hated hugs.

This was illegal! Against all the rules! What. Had. They. DONE?!

They continued to have a normal visit, and her 3 year-old son walked around her yard asking the names of all her plants.

It was nice.

Mid conversation she just stopped and then stated out loud how absolutely strange it was to have a real human conversation without a screen in front of her face.

She wasn’t used to talking.

Her mouth, teeth, and jaw were out of talking-practice.

She had not expected this.

This new normal made the previous normal, strange.

They hugged again when it was time to say goodbye, hoping they hadn’t just killed one another.

If so, at least she would die with the taste of tart strawberries in her belly.

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