Resting ahead of the new fight
We are all experiencing the Covid19 lockdown in different ways. In today’s Voices column, Dunedin hospitality business owner Sarah Hussey considers a new normal, in which the selfemployed must put their own employment on hold.
Day 10 of wearing nothing other than active wear. I thought I was doing OK until I caught myself at the local Four Square purchasing essentials (red wine and BBQ kettle chips) braless, in socks and scuffs. I am not fine.
Like many of you I am selfemployed. For almost 13 years I have put my heart and soul into creating a community of Perc Cafe lovers who come regularly to enjoy good coffee, food and some mad chat from yours truly. You have brought in your new babies, cried to me over love lost and hugged me when your dog died.
Tell me, how does this play out in our new world, the one that finds your neighbour giving you a twometrewide berth when you run past with your dog? Where we all eye each other up as potential death threats and the lady at the pharmacy gives your 6yearold daughter a lecture about how she is not to share her new cola lip gloss with anyone if she wants to stay alive!
Full disclosure, I haven’t watched the news since sometime in the late ’80searly ’ 90s, when we would spend the night at our grandparents’ house in Mosgiel and eat dinner off trays on our laps while watching the 5pm Sky news.
Currently my daily media intake consists of what pops up on my Facebook feed, either from the ODT or other media pages, or when one of my Facebook friends has a longwinded rant on the injustice of the numbers of cyclists we now see on our streets when we should all be STAYING AT HOME.
I have deleted a few of you because of this.
From the little I do know, we will be at home for a while. I don’t for one minute think that at midnight on April 22 I will be cooking up a storm in The Perc kitchen waiting to swing open those doors at 7am and welcome you all back with open arms.
Is it six weeks, is it 12 weeks — it's the uncertainty that's killing us. You think with all this time on my hands I would be planning my welcomeback cupcake recipe and wondering if postpandemic, people will be eating more vegetables or should I go all out and make steak and cheese pies? Alas no planning has occurred, just reruns of Vikings, afternoon yoga (why not I’m already in active gear) and the start of the great Harry
Potter novel journey as recommended by most children of the ’90s.
Will I survive this? Physically yes, financially most likely, but what the final number will be on the new loan my husband is currently negotiating with BNZ to carry us through this period is unknown. How long can we keep this up before those business doors stay shut forever?
Yes, the wage subsidy has been a huge relief — but who’s paying the rent, internet, phone, power while we stay shut?
On a more positive note, that drawer/cupboard we all have that houses the random bits of tupperware, measuring cups and those makeityourself popsicle containers you thought were a great idea, well that drawer is now tidy, as is my linen cupboard, pantry, fridge and my colourcoordinated wardrobe.
I do feel very thankful to be in a loving marriage, the children are happy, the dog next level with excitement, but do I feel positive about the future? Without sitting too hard on the fence, yes and no.
I won’t give up the fight, I’m ready to work harder than I have ever worked before and when we are finally allowed back out of our homes I’ll come out hugging, so if you no longer want to be touched I suggest you stay away from me.
The economy is not going to look good after this. Come out swinging, fight for your business/ job and for goodness’ sake shop local.
µ Do you have a 680word column in you? We want to hear about your experience of the Covid19 lockdown, what your work and community will look like when we emerge, and what we must do when this is over. Email: editor@odt.co.nz