Angels.

Today was a good day.  For starters, it was the first nice day in about a week. We are in a Spring season that has been very un-spring like in my part of the country.  Our temperatures have been below normal, our rain, above normal.  Our sunny, beautiful day today is one of the few we have had over the last two months.  I could count the number of sunny days we have had over the last four weeks on one hand.  Spring has been cold, cloudy, windy, and even snowy.  Couple that with the on going lockdowns and restrictions because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and it’s a recipe for depression among other less-than-desirable things.

Today was a good day, though.  I was outside.  It was warm and it was sunny.  Today was also the day the U.S. Navy’s “Blue Angels” were doing a fly-over of the Chicago area to honor all of our “frontline” workers in the fight against COVID.  I think it was a great gesture, and a reminder of what people sacrifice, especially when those people are in service to others.  Nurses, Doctors, Firefighters, EMT’s, Paramedics, Police Officers, and even 9-1-1 Operators all serve their communities, while our soldiers, sailors, and airmen serve our country.  I spent 15 years in Public Safety, and I think today’s demonstration was a fine gesture, and a great way to honor those who wear a uniform.

My youngest son, who at 19 is on his way to being a paramedic, and is currently one of those “frontline” workers, is an airplane nut.  He loves aviation.  So, when we heard about the flyover, and learned of the flight plan, he staked out a great place for us to observe.  For the record, I too love aviation, especially military aviation.   The place he found was a parking garage at a shopping mall that was right at the point the Blue Angels were to make a turn to the southwest leg of their route.  They would approach from the south east, and turn literally right over the mall.  We arrived about forty-five minutes prior to the flyover, so we could get our cameras set up, and converse with some of the others that were arriving (My son belongs to several aviation groups on Facebook, so he met up with a couple other members of said groups) everyone maintained their required “social distance” as we exchanged greetings. The parking garage area was nice and open, with a good view of the Chicago skyline, the direction from which the Blue Angels would approach.

More people began to arrive, and as they did I took note of a few curious things: Everyone was glad to be outside, and enjoying the sun.  Individuals, moms and kids, families, couples, and of course, plenty of people with cameras.  It was curious as I watched everyone arrive and get out of their cars.  Everyone stayed in their family group, or next to their car.  Many had masks, many did not.   While everyone was certainly happy, or even, relieved to be outside in the sun, no one was smiling.  There is a curious thing about Northerners.  Generally, we put up with quite a bit during the winter.  The cold, and snow take a toll.  When we can get out on a nice, sunny spring day, it is not unlike coming out of hibernation to some degree.  Except, during a normal spring, a gathering like this would be result in smiling people socializing, and relieved to have the cold, wind and snow behind for a few months.  Not today.  There wasn’t that same air of “Yay, nice weather”.  Everyone I watched looked a bit drawn, a bit tired.  In a couple, there was sadness in their eyes.  The kids that were there, especially little ones weren’t running around.  Several of them didn’t even stray from the family car.  The mood wasn’t somber, but one could sense the tension, and the worry, and the uncertainty many were feeling.  From my perch at the top of the parking garage, I could look around the neighborhood, and to the strip mall below us.  Even though there was traffic and activity, it was still empty. The strip mall parking lot was empty, at least one store was out of business, and the others were closed. A nail salon had a “stay safe” banner hanging in the window, while a computer repair shop, which was open, had red “X” marks on the floor denoting where patrons were to stand. A masked indvidual stood behind a counter appearing to converse with someone who had brought in something for repair  Despite being a shopping area, it felt desolate.  The mall whose parking garage we occupied was closed except for the Target store, and perhaps one or two other “anchor” stores.  Up and down the busy street we were above, there were stores, and businesses, but all had empty parking lots.

Soon, someone called out a sighting of the Blue Angels in the distance.  We could see them several miles away, trailing smoke as they flew over the hospitals in the area.  Rush, UC Medical Center, and Cook County Hospital.  They crossed in front of the Chicago skyline, turning our direction.  We all watched from that parking garage as the Blue Angels approached, the sound of their jet engines echoing off the buildings.  Shutters snapped, video cameras whirred, and smart-phones were out recording this moment.  It was touching, and, it felt like a nice, and fitting gesture.  After a few minutes as the aircraft headed southwest, and the echo faded, people climbed back to into their cars, with nary a word to anyone else, their faces still set in a worried, harried, and perhaps a bit grim, expression.   We had another stop to make, my son and I.  A Russian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft was due to land at O’Hare Airport, and we set out to photograph it.  The An-124 “Ruslan” cargo aircraft is one of the largest cargo aircraft in a world, and the little brother to the Antonov An-225, which is the largest aircraft in the world.  The An-124 doesn’t fly to O’Hare much, so seeing it is rare. We drove the few miles to O’Hare to watch it approach and land, and then taxi to the cargo area.  (O’Hare is a very large place, so this entailed a bit of driving from one part of the airport to another)

As we drove to O’Hare, I reflected on what I saw in the people who came out to see the Blue Angels. As we drove,  I noted more of the same:  Empty parking lots, closed businesses, some with signs saying “Out of Business, and others with signs saying “We’ll be back soon” or,”Stay Safe” or “We’re in this together.”  I know the lockdowns are affecting many facets of our economy, but, it was striking to see it, and see it beyond my own neighborhood.  Parts of this area that I used to frequent, and were bustling places of commerce, and activity were now largely silent.  Iconic local businesses that had been around for 40, or 50 years were closed, however temporary that might be for some.  For others, it’s already permanent.  It’s distressing.  Still more people out and about, but really out and about because there is nothing to do, nowhere to go, and very little money for some, to do anything.  They were just out and about to get out the house, or the apartment, and perhaps get a bit of sun.

There will be some lessons learned from this, this Pandemic, and these “quarantines” Some of them will be bitter lessons, others will be less so, but important nonetheless.  I don’t have an opinion, or a solution, at least not one I feel like articulating at the moment.  There are people on all facets of Social Media who are doing that, and I have no desire to join them.  It appears there isn’t a whole lot of joy out there right now.  The Navy and the Blue Angels tried to provide some today, and in their own way, they did.  They reminded us that we are Americans, and if there is one thing Americans do, it’s persevere, and make the best of a bad situation.  I feel that for many, that is what they are doing.  Right now, it’s a tough time, but like all other tough times this will pass, or, we will adjust to it, and do the best we can within the “new normal”.

Yes, it was a good day today.  Not in the way I would normally define a good day, but it was a good day nonetheless.  I got to spend time with my son, which we haven’t been able to do as of late, and I got to see some aircraft I normally don’t get to see.  It was also a good day because my eyes were opened a little bit.  Yes, we may be in this “together” for many of us, the “together” is symbolic, it’s a word, an idea, not an actual thing.  For many of us, we are truly in this alone, and despite the widespread nature of this, we are not doing this together in the sense that we are there to help one another, and stand with one another.  The “together” means we are all in the same situation, but, we are still on our own.

(featured image credited to me, the author.  Taken on May 12, 2020, Norridge, IL.)