SIX WEEKS IN ISOLATION AND THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN

Today I have finished 6 weeks of isolation in our home. I am of the opinion that this much time alone with someone else, no matter the strength or length of the relationship, is very hard for both parties to bear. As time passes you find that there are less things to enjoy, individually. Also, less things that you find you can enjoy together. I am not speaking of anything negative about our relationship. However, I am saying that I think living in isolation with me would prove extremely hard. All of my life, I have been used to rising early, getting cleaned up and out the door. Off to work, play or in some fashion get my day started.

With 42 days of 7/24 exposure to me and my frustrations with being locked up. I can sympathize completely with my partner. I can also say that there is no one else, anywhere. That I would exchange for her in this type of setting. She tries her best to keep me upbeat which I might say is a difficult task. It seems we play these mind games with each other. They come from a product of familiarity and 40+ years with each other. I will try to describe some of the things we have invented to give vent to our rising frustrations.

• One of our biggest is to ask each other questions for which there are no answers, such as why did you cut that tree so small? I’m stopped in my tracks! There is no obvious answer. Was it evil, malicious, bad judgement or is it even too small. No good answer other than “because” jumps out.
• One of our prime times together is the daily watching of movies together. We already knew that there was a huge difference in the types of shows, that each one of us likes. For her, romance, comedy, light drama and the like. For me just the opposite, violence, action, adventure, or thriller. Who wins? She probably has watched more violence, action, and thrillers in six weeks than she has in the rest of her life.
• Did you wash your hands, has become a very popular question. Even though nothing has been touched, and the hands are already wiped down with Lysol disinfectant, I am hit with this question a couple of times a day. Again no good answer, you just slink away and wash them again.
• Are you sure you spent enough time in the shower to get everything clean? What the hell do you say to that? I’ve been showering for a good part of 70 years and not until this period of solitary confinement have I ever been asked that? Geezus what do you say?
• What do you want for dinner tonight? I respond anything will do, you choose. No you pick, no you and on and on until the point, that whatever is picked is not going to be satisfying.
• Wake up, wake up you are snoring and I can’t sleep. This after 40+ years and just discovered now?
• My partner has the uncanny ability to remember any and all of my transgressions from the past, with great clarity and detail. She can pull these out on demand and present them to me for further penance.This one, there is no hiding from, you just watch the instant replay and wait for another ass kicking. You are also given the opportunity to apologize once again. Ahhhh the double replay.
• And the inevitable “why did you feed me that”, “you know I’m trying to lose weight”. This after I tie her to a chair and force feed her a whole plate full of calorie laden delights. All you can say is “sorry I’ll try to make it taste like crap next time, so you don’t want so much”.

Now having said all of that we get along extremely well for being forced together into this isolation. The days pass and there is always something to look forward to. We take isolation walks, without golf clubs, and over the weeks I have come to look forward to this break in the day. We are strong and hoping for freedom soon. My opinion is that the walls may feel like they are shrinking, however it also appears that I will survive the squeeze.