The following is a guest post, written by a writing friend and fellow Behind Our Eyes organization for writers with disabilities To learn more about Leonard Tuchyner you can read his bio below his post.
Dear Corona Virus
Dear Mr. Virus,
It took me a long time to find your address. At first I thought it might be China. Mr. Trump has often stated that you were Chinese. But then I realized you were making your rounds and could end up any place on Earth. Then I recognized that I was trying to locate a collective, not just one entity, so I’m addressing this to Mr. Corona, and sending this letter to wherever you are spending most of your time. That happens to be New York right now.
Well anyway, I’m writing to let you know that I understand why you are doing what you are doing. You are getting rid of all the excess population. I understand that. It’s not a purpose that I disagree with. But there is one problem with it. Some of those excess people happen to be old. Did I mention to you that I was old? I know that you are getting rid of many of those people who are sick and already ready to go. Again, I happen to be in that category as well. I have heart related problems; I can’t see well, my hearing is not that good, anyway. So I know I would be easy pickings.
So I’m writing to see if you could make an exception in my case. After all, I do still have a good brain and enough money to be self sufficient.
And if you can grant me that dispensation, I wonder if you could grant just one more favor. Most of my friends are elderly. You see, we need them to give the Senior Center a reason for existing. We just built a new Center. It would be a shame to let it go to waste. I don’t think any of them would go willingly.
Oh yes, my kids aren’t that young anymore. One family wouldn’t make that much difference. Surely you could extend your good favor on them.
In short, I guess I’m saying, please spare the people I love. If you don’t, you’re nothing but a bag of plague. And I wish you would choke.
Beseechingly,
Mr. Leonard Tuchyner
Leonard Tuchyner is a retired counselor, living in Central Virginia with his wife of forty years and two dogs. He maintains an active involvement in the writing community, which includes participation in Behind Our Eyes, a national writers group of blind writers. He is also a member of the Blue Ridge Writers Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. Although challenged by legal blindness, he continues to pursue Tai Chi and related forms of martial arts. Gardening is another passion that has captivated him for most of his seventy-nine years life. One of his most fulfilling endeavors is the facilitation of the Senior Center’s Writing for Healing and Growth writing group.
He has been in the winners’ circle of the Blue Ridge Writer Club’s yearly writing contest several times. His winning entries have included poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. He has also been a regular contributor to The Blue Ridge Anthology. Mr. Tuchyner has published essays, poetry, and short stories in Dialogue Magazine (for which he was a columnist), Magnets and Ladders, Nomad’s Choir, Westward Quarterly, and Skyline. A poetry book, Journey to Elsewhere, was published in 2014.