The Scene – June 2020
By Jane Harrison
This past month was actually quite eventful, considering.
I now have splashes of colorful flowers and the herbs I use most in cooking in pots on my porch so I can kill them properly.
A friend made two cloth masks for me, I crocheted one and I received another two from a friend who had received some from the Sullivan County Health Department. Fun fact: The ones from the Health Department stretched out after one hand washing. These are the same ones being handed out to those mask-less joggers and walkers on our Rail Trail and they are perfect for that.
Another friend gifted the coolest neon green gloves.
My printer alerted me to ‘low toner’ then stopped printing. Getting a new cartridge fast was a major challenge. This was something I never considered during preparations for a lengthy in-house stay.
This working from home has a lot of pros but the biggest headache is the barrage of phone calls and texts 24/7 from work and friends because everyone knows where you are.
A couple and a woman, all with children, have forced their way into the closed and locked playground adjacent to the Rail Trail.
And perhaps the most interesting was displeasing three separate persons on Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, who showed their displeasure with hand gestures, in a seven mile stretch of road. My egregious faux pas? Wearing my mask while driving. Never mind that I had just stopped at a place with mask-less people which made me nervous about what may be on the outside of the mask. Never mind that that mask ties, no ear loops.
Continuing with the series of musicians “In Pause,” perhaps the most poignant response I received was from Hurleyville resident James Riley (known generally as just ‘Riley’ and shown in the accompanying photo with Steve Schwartz of STEVE’S MUSIC in Rock Hill. Although most know him as the bassist for LION ZEN, as well as with former Sullivan County resident CATHY PATY, his talents span a great many instruments
RILEY
“Sore throat and cough. Difficulty breathing. Runny nose and sneezing. The fevers would come and go. This was mid-March. I tested negative for strep, flu and COVID-19, but the doctor said he could not guarantee I didn’t receive a false negative, so we proceeded as if I had coronavirus. Thus, began my self-isolation.
Luckily, my work as a commercial graphic artist and photographer allows me to work from home between the fevers, weakness, and dizziness. This is when I retreat to my room and the comfort of my bed where my Epiphone Riviera P93 awaits; a wine-red semi-hollow electric guitar with gold hardware including a Bigsby tuned to D standard. This is good medicine.
Before Coronavirus hit – or whatever it is that I have – work had been underway on an Elvis show some guys and I were putting together. We were hoping to debut this season. Doing an Elvis show is a bucket list thing for me. Elvis is my hero. I discovered when I sing with a natural, relaxed voice that I sound something like the King. So, I’ve been working on it and it’s working out. Until Covid-19 hit.
I first felt my symptoms while at “Elvis” rehearsal. Scratchy throat then downhill from there. Here we are, a month later and even though my throat is no longer sore, it’s still a hassle to get a good breath let alone belt “One Night” or “Trying to Get to You”. But I am trying. Meanwhile I’m-a-strummin’-and-a-hummin’ Elvis tunes on my red guitar. I feel better already. See you on the other side.”
He’s holding his own. This could be any one of us.
Stay well, stay strong.
Until next time…..