Locked down with my Ukulele 29

These are strange times and I have been wearing a face shield.

This has been my major fashion accessory. I have masks everywhere. I have a pack of disposable masks in the car, I have several reusable masks around the house, I have a couple of reusable masks that have filters, I have a face shield from work, I have ordered a set of face shields (from a well known online trader), and I still forget to carry one into the shop when I’m on my walk.

I filled up with fuel and needed to put air in my tyres and I wondered into the kiosk bare faced, although I did have the mask in my pocket. Behind the perspex screen a very stern petrol attendant informed me that I should wear a mask inside. I stated I had it in my pocket and put it on.

“You should put it on before you come inside” he said.

“I know “ I said “I was just thinking about stuff and forgot to put it on.”

He did not seem to be moved by my absent mindedness.

I have forgotten I’ve been wearing the face shield as well. I wear the face shield when teaching students. I try to keep to social distancing but in practical situations, teaching how to physically put things together I do try. I was showing a lad how to use a hacksaw. He crept closer and closer to see the details of what I was doing, a quick reminder of distancing and Covid rules were resumed.

If Covid showed up as a purple stain or haze it would be easy to target solutions. As it’s invisible it’s easy to forget it’s lingering in the world. Absentmindedly you can forget the precautions that need to be observed.

I forgot I was wearing the shield on a few occasions much to the amusement of onlookers. I’ve often lifted my cup to drink and bumped into the mask. I put it on in the supermarket car park. It was easier to wear than carry. I had a chocolate finger that I was eager to unwrap and eat. I was so consumed by ingestion of this sweet treat that I forgot I had on the mask. It was a warm day and the chocolate was softer than usual. I raised the stick to my mouth and proceeded to skid across the visor leaving a sweet brown smear across the face. I quickly located my mouth and then tried to remove the offending debris while I still had the visor on my head. At no time did it occur to me to take off the visor and clean it with a tissue. Writing this down, at this moment, I feel I really should worry about myself.

Wearing the shield you have full vision. I’ve had a few people look at me strangely when I’m wearing it. It seems to throw people when they can see your whole face. The mask seems to be a more acceptable norm.

I was wearing a facemask in a supermarket and there was a little girl walking with, who I assumed to be, her grandfather. She must have been about three or four. She looked up at me and I wondered what a small child was making of the world right now. She looked a little unsure. Forgetting I had a mask on I smiled at her. I suddenly thought she wouldn’t be able to tell I was smiling. I was wrong I was greeted by a beautiful grin. I guess we can still convey so much from the eyes and the body.

Even though we have these barriers we can still express so much. Maybe, even though this world is a scary place, we can still spread a little humanity.

Smile

I’ve always loved this song. Everybody has done a version of this from Michael Jackson to Gregory Porter. Even me. I’ll do a ukulele version one day and put it on my social media page. I generally love karaoke and some of Nat King Cole’s records are in my choice of songs to perform.

I was shocked to find that this was in fact written by Charlie Chaplin in 1936 and used on the sound track of his film Modern Times. It was an instrumental theme used in the final scene. Charlie and his co-star Paulette Goddard (titled in the film as orphaned A gamine) set off down the road to a new life. As they get up off the grass verge Charlie points to the corners of his mouth encouraging her to smile.

The lyrics didn’t come until 1954 by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. They based the lyrics on the themes from the film. Smile and there’s always a bright tomorrow.

It’s been my observation that the happiest people are those that have a positive outlook. Glass half full people find the positives in most things. Conversely people who perpetually are in the doldrums seem to sap the very life from the room. I’m sure I have lost two or three years off my life by being with people that are on a permanent negative. And my life expectancy is to live forever!

Stay safe