An Easter in Wymondham, Norfolk: April 2020
A sense of calm envelopes the town. People are out in the sunshine avoiding each other, but taking their exercise. “Morning’’, “morning’’, the greetings still come. Some walk in pairs, some alone. Some ride their bicycles, some walk their dogs. The spring flowers are blooming, the birds are singing – no fear there.
There’s plenty of essentials in the supermarket, but we’re made to queue and enter one by one, so as not to go too near our fellow shoppers. There’s a kind of resigned acceptance, coupled with a fear of the unknown. What will happen to our jobs? Will we have enough money to survive and pay our bills ? What about our friends and relatives? How are they coping? What about the children, the students ?
People on the television criticise the government. “Why didn’t they act sooner?’’, “Why isn’t there enough protective equipment for the doctors and nurses ?” But who could have guessed that this would happen a few weeks ago? How could any government have been prepared ?
The rich wring their hands at their losses and try to figure out how they may eventually profit from this mess. The homeless stay homeless and the charity workers keep them from starving. The hospitals try their best to cope with an ever-expanding problem. Everyone shows their gratitude by applauding outside their homes every Thursday night. Well it’s something.
They say that this will change the world – I doubt it. Capitalism, or super capitalism, when one man without personal risk, can receive in one year, more than another can earn in his lifetime, will no doubt survive and prosper. The common people will again bear the brunt of the consequences.
(Photo: John Fielding)
