I Miss Outside

We’ve reached week eight of the Covid-19 pandemic marking two months of our new reality. In the last two months I’ve learned a lot of things about myself, my friends and society overall I think.

The thing I was surprised to learn though is how much I miss outside.

Now I want to be clear, you can go outside currently in every state in this country. A few states have even lifted their Stay At Home orders. While going outside during a global pandemic would probably be frowned upon by most sensible people round the world. Here in the United States, freedom to go back to work (really they want to go back to work, losers) seems to supersede any need for a healthy society. Oh, and did I mention there would be limited access to things you could even do outside with the amount of businesses closed? 

But back to missing outside. Before this quarantine I would say that I fancy myself a homebody. A more in-depth description would probably be a stoner who enjoys the night more than the day, and hanging out in places that are smoking and sweatpants friendly. 

After wearing sweatpants only from the living room to the bedroom and slightly to the bodega across the street, I want back outside. 

I want bars with overpriced drinks that I contemplate not getting at first but have no hesitancy four drinks in. I miss walking into stores and needing five to ten minutes to blow so I can time getting to my next destination right on time. I miss awkward exchanges and funny experiences with strangers that I’ll never meet again. 

I could continue about all the things I miss, but I really just miss, it. And what “it” is, I don’t really know. Maybe I miss the old world and all the things that came with it. Maybe I miss memories that I will never be able to experience again. 

All I know is I miss outside and I wonder what it will be like when we finally get to meet, fully, again.