National Post (National Edition)
Granville Square, Vancouver
Gord McIntyre, Vancouver Sun
West Cordova Street would have at one time been clogged with vehicles for the morning rush hour, but at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday you could have driven four tanks abreast down it and not bumped into anything.
Couriers on bikes zipped and weaved by, accountants hurried past on foot to their offices at Granville Square, and security guards and homeless people were the most common sights as passerby Kristina Kudryk paused to chat.
A compositor who works in film post-production, she was on her way to her Gastown office, which would be empty and thus, she hoped, safe.
Yes, she agreed, it’s nice to still have work, but she doesn’t expect it to last more than another week or two.
“These initial first couple of weeks have been rough, it’s a big upheaval for everyone,” she said. “It’s one thing on top of the other.”
Like everyone, Kudryk hopes this new normal doesn’t last too long. But there’s no sense returning to the pre-distancing and isolating days until this thing runs it’s course, she said.
“I don’t think we should turn back now, I think we should stay the course and get through it.”
She’s just cancelled a planned trip to Whistler.
Whether you’re still heading into the office as Kudryk does, or you’re working from your home office — or you’ve been let go and are sitting around home — everyone faces the boredom. Everyone who’s alone is lonely, those who aren’t alone look for a room to escape to to get some alone time.
Who knew going out to line up outside a store for a few groceries or a rationed roll of toilet paper would become the adventure it has?
“It’s every day,” she said, “it’s not having things to do at the end of the day that’s exasperating.”