2021

After days of worry, protests and passive-aggressive work emails that contradicted the one sent minutes before, I received a reprieve. We received a reprieve.  At nearly eight o'clock on Sunday the third, I was told that I would not have to report to work in person the following Monday morning.  I continued couch-teaching.  

Wednesdays are special, we don't have to teach live classes, though I do anyway. We can set our own schedule between time-consuming, time-wasting mandatory meetings.  Kaw comes every Wednesday for his 8:30 reading lesson, like clockwork, and I put up links for anyone else who needs help with their classwork.  And usually, they do.

I turned on the TV on Wednesday the sixth, right in the middle of the day, though we usually don't watch it until nighttime.  I wanted to see what kind of shit show the Republicans might try with Biden's electoral count.  I put the volume down really low and put the close caption on, and kept working and teaching.  I walked through the living room later and saw Trump talking on the television in front of a large crowd of people,  behind a box of bullet proof glass. 

"Alec!"  I called to the other room.
"He's actually talking to those people!" I continued, referring to the rally that I knew was going to take place, but unaware that Trump actually planned to officiate the fucking thing. 
"Yeah...I'll read about it later,"  Alec responded
"I can't sit through one of those long things of his."

I watched Mitch McConnell's come to Jesus speech.  He always looks so stupid when he tries to appear sincere.  I saw the Zodiac Killer, I mean Ted Cruz, continue his shit show.  I signed on to a training I had to do live, but kept my camera and microphone off.  Then, I saw the crowd of Trumpistas, with their gaudy Trump-wear, crowding in front of the Capitol.  Alec came over and sat on the couch beside me.  I propped my laptop on top of Lola's memory foam dog bed and signed a form to prove that I was in the training.   

"That looks like a lot of people." he commented.

"Yeah, it really does." I responded.

"But look, when they pan out, it doesn't look like so many...." I continued.

"There's a lot of ground between them..."

We all know what happened next.  And continued for hours.   I signed in to my 3:00 training and never even turned up the volume.  Helicopters flew overhead, because people were gathering at the Georgia Capitol, about a mile as the crow flies from my house.   

There have been times when I might have supported a nice insurrection.  Even a revolution.  Or at least a really impactful protest, something that really opened people's eyes and changed things.  Our government hasn't always been on our side.  I couldn't believe that when it looked like it was actually happening it was by THEM...for... HIM.  Red faced white people, carrying Trump flags.  Wearing hockey scarves emblazoned with his name.  Exercise leggings with "Trump 2020" up the sides.  When people really decided to tear things up, it was for an orange fat man that had reigned on reality television.  Faux-gold plated Donald Trump.  He really got them going.  Did we burn it up because Black people are killed everyday?  Because women are robbed of their rights?  Because they have children in cages on the border?  Because the proletariat only makes the rich richer and can't even get a physical because we don't have healthcare?  No.  They attacked the government for a turd.  I really lost faith in America that day.  

Soberuary turned to Moderationuary and I sat on the couch and watched.  The news roll-by started listing off Georgia Representative's messages from DC:  Lucy McBath:  My staff and I are safe.  Hank Johnson:  I am safe and secure.  Nikema Williams:  I'm safe.  I was stunned to see them reporting to their families and constituents in this manner.  Then, I saw Kelly Loeffler reporting herself safe and I thought, from what?  Your friends?  These amazing people running around rubbing their own shit all over the walls of the Capitol?  I thought she'd have been handing out candy.  

I woke up today, feeling pretty good after sleeping in on a Saturday.  I turned on the Facebook and watched a teacher friend marching in the cold in front of her district's HR, begging to not have to return to school with students until the COVID numbers go down, just like I did during the December break.  

I hope she wins.  I hope we all win.