Faceless

Faceless

By

Leo de Natale

I started writing essays this year as an escape from the plague. In three short months a lethal virus spread from Communist China and brought the world to its knees. In early January, work was fun, as I enjoyed the camaraderie with colleagues, staff and clientele. By March, however, the seriousness of this pandemic was severe. One day I was working, the following day I was forced into early retirement.

I drove home to my wife Kathy and our faithful German Shepherd Dog, Kaiser. I closeted my winter overcoat, removed my suit, shirt and tie, dress shoes and adjusted to a brave new world. The coat and suit were sent to the dry cleaners, the shirt was laundered and the tie placed on its rack. The shoes were polished and shoe trees were inserted. I was disheartened when realizing I might never again wear such clothing.

        Like so many Americans, my family endured the self-imposed quarantine.  I had been a professional writer.  The pandemic offered a creative outlet. I’ve been chronicling the seismic changes during the chaos. The fallout occurred rapidly.  No socializing with family or friends, no theaters or movies, no restaurant outings. Grocery shopping was infrequent. 

With all these rapid lifestyle changes came the metaphoric stake through the heart: the mask.  Wear it or become infected.  Wear it or be shamed.  Don’t wear it and Invasion of the Body Snatchers alien Donald Sutherland points at you.

We all wear the masks now.  They have had a devastating effect on the human psyche.

Human beings are social animals.  We love interaction, we love seeing our fellow men and women.  But now, we are faceless.  At the supermarket, at the local drug store, we pass each other and   see only eyes.  We have no idea what people look like.  No noses, no mouths, no teeth, no chin.  We can see the rest of a body, tall, short, thin, fat, old, young.  But who is that person behind the mask?

I feel sorry for the young.  Quarantining followed by mandatory masks inhibits their social lives.  Men and women in their early to mid-20s seek romance. Prior to Covid 19, they’d meet at dating bars or social gatherings. Their hormones are raging and the human face is an essential element of physical attraction.  Add the early lockdowns and now the masks and you have Roy Orbison singing Only The Lonely.   Computers and social media have created virtual dating sites, a 21^st Century version of the old personal ads in magazines and newspapers.

What I miss the most is seeing a person’s smile. The eye may be the window to the soul, but the smile is the door to the heart. When I’m talking with someone who’s masked and I say something funny or crack a joke that often elicits a laugh. I can tell by the crinkling of the eyes. I say to myself, oh if only I could see that facial expression.

Anywhere you travel, you can sense the tension that has arisen.  People in supermarkets will argue over social distancing.  Road rage has increased.  Quarantine claustrophobia has caused more family arguments and discord.  There is yelling, screaming and shouting.  Alcohol and drug use have increased.  We all need a good laugh but local comedy clubs are closed.  Standup comedians have started using Zoom as a virtual stage.  You can see their faces but it doesn’t have the effect of a live audience.

Still, there are pockets of humor. My friend, comic Gary Savonarola, has made some observations about masking.

“Hey, look at the bright side” he says. “You wear a mask and you don’t have to shave.  It blocks halitosis so you don’t snap a person’s head back with halitosis.  You don’t have to brush your teeth.  No one will see the spinach clinging to your molars.  Women can save money on lipstick and makeup. You can stick your tongue at someone or call them an asshole.  The sounds get muffled.  Most people can’t hear a word you’re saying! You know what I mean?  You know what I’m saying?   No worries, man.”

A renowned dog trainer friend who was successful because he understood the canine psyche.  Dogs, he told me, live in the moment.  There is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow.   There is only now.  We humans can learn something from canine behavior.  The pandemic will be conquered.  Vaccines will purportedly be arriving soon. 

There will be a time when we look back at catastrophic 2020 and say, oh, I remember the year of the mask.  Sadly, too many  poor souls lost their lives to an invisible monster that devastated Planet Earth. 

When it’s all over, we can then see each other’s beautiful faces – eyes, ears, noses and — those smiles.

Live in the moment.