A relief for introverts

Urban society in the throes of the Corona virus pandemic is divided unevenly into the vast majority, extroverts mostly, who can't wait for the current restrictions to end, and the few who secretly revel in them. Apparently our teenager grandson belongs to the latter group, finding it a respite to stay at home with only occasional remote and structured chats to his friends, rather than having to interact with all kinds of demanding people at school all day long. I must confess that I fall into that category too; I could hardly suppress a surge of elation on realising I would have a long break from going out and acting as a sociable being. It (still) feels like a vacation. "Stop the world, I want to get off!" was an exaggeration, but even so ... Introverts, however much we may appear to be at ease in a crowd, are only ever putting on an act. And now the "world", to everyone's amazement, really has been put on hold and we introverts can relax for a while. I wonder how many of us will be sorry when we return to the way things used to be, and how many of us will dare to admit it.

There is much sympathy for this year's generation of high school graduates who have to do without the traditional end-of-school celebrations, but I'm certain that a few individuals among them are breathing an ardent prayer of thanks: "Thank God I don't have to make a fool of myself at the Prom, wearing silly clothes that don't suit me, and thank God I no longer have to give soppy farewell speeches to people I dislike."

I'm older now and no longer altogether that way inclined. On this morning's outing to the market district in perfect strolling weather, we found far more shops open than last week and went into Café 55, finally open again for business so long as customers take out the snacks and drinks they've purchased. It felt good to say hello to the familiar people behind the counter (protected from our potentially contaminated breath by sheets of plexiglas) and very good to buy a freshly made cup of flat white coffee there and to sit outside for a few minutes, drinking it and watching the passers-by. Almost like long lost normality.