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Devin's Handspan Diary #. 20200906
COVID-19 has made me lock myself up into self-quarantine life since mid-March,
and I have been cautious to go to public places where people gathered. Naturally, both grocery shopping, and ordering goods are up to delivery service. If I make an order on the smartphone and select the "leave at door" option,
someone starts to put the products on my behalf, and pack them. Then someone brings them and put it in front of my room, and knocks on the door. I immediately answer, "Thank you so much" without opening the door.
Not facing each other and taking voluntary isolation have become courtesy of protecting each other. The more be individual, the more be "us." It became a mode of public health and one of the ways of social participation.
So is coffee.
In early March, when I went to Starbucks for the last time before I started quarantine life and grabbed Grande-sized coffee,
I once gave up on myself, anticipating I could not drink vanilla latte anymore,
but UberEats let me know I didn't have to give up what I liked as long as I have corresponding money.
What I was able to see with my own eyes became invisible, but instead,
it has been becoming a trace that makes me feel someone's presence and movement around me.
Text messages from someone who is shopping for me now- A text message that my request will be delivered soon- The alarm that my vanilla latte is currently being made- The notice that my vanilla latte is coming towards me now- The alarm to allow the carrier time until he or she puts my vanilla latte in front of my house- The written "Devin" and "Have a great day" on the paper bag- Same paper bags every time, but different handwritings-
From the signals that someone tells me and the traces that someone left behind,
I just vaguely guess what the process is going through and sense their existence.
And imagining and recalling them is a small pleasure in my own daily life.