Getting the call for my COVID shot

The call came in at 5:33 p.m. last night. I was still at work, putting the finishing touches on this week’s edition, when I took a break to look at my noisy, vibrating phone.

Because we live in an era of endless spam calls, I was suspicious when I didn’t immediately recognize the number. It was a local number, though, so that means it’s more likely to be legitimate. If it were from a city in Florida I’d never heard of, you can bet I never would have answered.

But, this time I did hit accept, and I’m glad I did. It was the Abby Pharmacy. They had an opening for me to get a COVID- 19 vaccine the next day (today) at exactly 2:40 p.m. All sorts of thoughts immediately ran through my head.

First, this is my week to deliver papers to local gas stations and grocery stories, so I usually try to avoid planning anything during the early afternoon hours. With a little planning and flexibility, I decided I could make it. Besides, the next available opportunity was another two weeks away, according to the pharmacy.

I also thought about what my wife would say if I had said no just so my schedule wouldn’t be so complicated. I confirmed with her later that she would have not have been happy. All the credit goes to her for even getting me on the list. If left to my own devises, I may have been one of the last people in Wisconsin to get a vaccine.

As it turns out, being overweight with hypertension likely helped bump me up a few spots on the list. Say what you want about a sedentary desk job and a stubborn refusal to count calories, but it does have its perks.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for accepting the appointment. Surely there are other people in greater need of the vaccine, I thought. I even wondered if I should really write about this in my column, for fear of provoking some vaccine envy among others who are still waiting for their phone call.

But, ultimately, I felt I needed to accept that it was my turn to get a shot in the arm. If I can join the ranks of those who have been vaccinated, that’s a good thing for both myself and society at large. Otherwise, I’d still be walking around as another potential liability for a health care system that has been stretched to its limits over the past year.

Besides, on a purely personal level, this couldn’t have come at a better time. My wife’s family is coming into town for the Easter weekend, and before I got the call yesterday, it was looking like I was going to be the only one who had not gotten a shot or developed antibodies from having been previously affected.

Now, I can relax a little and enjoy a true family gathering. My only hope is that all of us have that luxury soon.

OUT FOR A WALK

KEVIN O’BRIEN

EDITOR