A few things to think about on Friday

Well, it's Friday.

We made it through another week. At least I think we did.

But I am getting the impression that we have been fundamentally changed by the last two weeks, as we have been thrown into the cauldron that is the coronavirus pandemic.

My real fear is not what is happening now, or, as all the medical and health experts tell us, the next two weeks when the COVID-19 cases are expected to peak.

I worry about what is going to happen two months from now.

I wonder about what life is going to be like - after the pandemic subsides.

How many jobs have been lost forever. We learned yesterday that more than 6 million people have filed new jobless claims in the U.S., and that is likely still on the low side since those numbers were compiled largely before the pandemic really gripped the nation.

Here in Delaware County, 17,000 people filed for unemployment.

I wonder about the restaurant, hospitality and tourism industries. How many of those businesses forced to shutter as "non-life-sustaining" businesses will never open their doors again. And what will become of all those waiters, waitresses, bartenders and hostesses who counted on those jobs for their livelihood. As someone who worked in restaurants for years in my teens and as I was going through college, I can tell you that the best thing about working in the restaurant business is that you leave work every night with money in your pocket.

And the worst thing is that on a bad night, you're broke.

When the restaurant shuts down, what do you do?

I worry about all the health care workers who are on the front lines fighting this pandemic. How is it exactly that the richest, most powerful nation on the face of the Earth could be this unprepared to battle this kind of menace.

And yes, I also worry about my own industry.

Things were not good in this industry before COVID-19. I fear more people in this industry are going to lose their jobs, more towns are going to see their local newspaper disappear.

I'd like to say thank God it's Friday.

I think I'll save it until I can say, thank God this pandemic has passed.