"Sorry, We're Closed..."

A man remembers the wonderful times that he had at a restaurant before the pandemic set in...

For the past few weeks, Connor was in a daze; he just could not believe how all of this has been happening around him. The pandemic surrounding COVID-19 has ultimately changed the lives of so many people, including Connor. One afternoon, he went to the El Capitan restaurant and saw a sign on the door: “Due to the virus, we are closed until further notice”. Connor could only create a facepalm. Like the rest of the world, Connor does not have any idea how long this would stick around. Not only that, the minds of Connor and everyone else is full of uncertainty, even though therapists tell people that no matter what, we must stay positive. Connor looked at the sign on the door of the El Capitan and began to remember that one time, as if it was only yesterday…
    Two-dollar Taco Tuesday at the El Capitan has always brought in a huge crowd; Maybe that could be the reason why Connor himself would choose Tuesday as his day off. Of course, when one owns the joint such as the El Capitan Restaurant, they could do what ever they want. It’s their universe. That week, Connor got a hot dog from a cart at the park, and afterward, he would watch the sun set from his favorite bench. Sometimes he would love to watch the sunset, as if Mother Nature had put on a grand show. That makes him so happy…
    Then, one weekend, he would go to the movies to see which movie came out that he just could not wait to see. Connor would buy popcorn and soda, and then would sit right down in the theater seats as he would wait anxiously for the film to begin. Yes, all those things have happened for Connor last year. This past year has been quite a wonderful one for him…

But now, all the movie theatres are closed due to the pandemic; It is the here and now, and life for every American had come to a screeching halt. The hot dog cart is not there anymore, and El Capitan is just nothing more than a quiet, empty shell.
    Connor began looking at the inside of the restaurant again; it seemed to him like only yesterday that he had enjoyed those Taco Tuesdays. But now that, and everything else in life, just must hold up. Connor turned away from the now-closed restaurant and went sadly home.
    It is strange how life could suddenly be altered in one fell swoop. Yes, we are filled with anxiety, but we do not have to be. One of the only things that we have in our lives right now is hope. Hope is not shut down, closed, or cancelled. Hope is always there for us, and if we could have so much of that hope inside our bodies, then we could lick this once and for all. So, until then, let’s hope for a better tomorrow, while we hope and pray for an end to this disgusting pandemic that has altered our normal lives in ways we cannot imagine.

                ©2020 Jenn Webster

Author's Note

This happens to be the first fiction story I have written that has to do with COVID-19; Please tell me what you think of it...Any feedback would be appreciated, and thank you!