Ripple Effect

By Marc Davidson 

I had a little cough, nothing major. Not 

a “symptom” like the newsreaders 

all talked about, so I didn’t give it a thought. 

And I’m an American, dammit. We fought 

and died for our freedoms. Like the freedom 

not to be required to wear some stupid mask 

just to buy a six pack or some hot dogs. What 

the hell! Sure people were getting sick, 

what was that to me? But more people 

were getting sick, and the contagion 

spread from my town across the state 

then the nation, then the continent. More 

cases, more hospitalization, more deaths. 

I was worried for a little, but I was prepared 

And I was fine. Just a little dry cough. 

Nothing to worry me. 

One by one, the voices fell silent. Newsreaders 

were replaced, then replaced again. Public 

officials reported in sick, then disappeared. 

My neighbors and I nodded our heads and 

called them wimps. Stores began to close, 

transportation became tough, then impossible. 

My neighbors began to disappear. Then 

one day, the latest newsreader announced 

that our station was closing, because in the 

whole world only a few thousand people 

were still alive, he said. He added he, too, was dying 

and no one was around to care. I was worried 

for a little, but after all, I had stocked up the pantry 

when the pandemic first hit. I would be 

okay. I had a little dry cough, that was all. 

Nothing to worry me.