Love in a Time of Covid

Cafe Locked Out

The families weren’t allowed in due to Health Department regulations. It had to be this way—if just one visitor brought in Covid, even unknowingly, they could be asymptomatic and infect vulnerable people in the nursing home, potentially leading to death.

These poor residents, many suffering from dementia, were already confused as to why the staff were all wearing PPE gear. The equipment made it difficult to care for them, especially when many staff members were calling in sick. We were always short-staffed, and of course, families were constantly calling or showing up at the door, pleading to be let in. But the rules were in place to protect us all.

Tragically, many residents passed away alone. What could we do? Loneliness was the price of keeping the majority safe.

Understandably, many residents were cranky; they’d had enough of it. I could sympathize. But then again, we were in the midst of a pandemic.

One resident, however, always greeted me in the morning with a lovely smile. Her strength to endure all this hardship was commendable. Even though she wasn’t long for this world, she never once complained.

What we didn’t know then, however, was that she had a secret. Every night, her granddaughter would ignore the citywide curfew, make her way here without being caught, and then break into the old woman’s room through the window. Then, once in, she would cuddle her ailing Grandmother, until she fell asleep in her arms.

Based on a True Story

Michael

Cafe Locked Out