Sheltering in Manhattan

I started keeping a journal about how life has changed in this unprecedented time. This is the first entry.

Stay safe and be well,

Aron Suna

A weight off my shoulders 

Suna Bros. has been closed since March 16th. Life in Manhattan...like life on the much of the planet...has been more than surreal. The normally busy streets are eerily empty. The buzz of traffic, the pulse of the street...everything is silenced.

My son Phillip, who lives in San Francisco, came home almost three weeks ago. He had made a point to arrive at the airport extra early, anticipating a much slower process in security to find that he was the only one there. The only one at security seems unimaginable, especially in an airport like SFO. Including the two pilots, the 737 he flew on that evening had more crew than passengers. He arrived to our apartment at about 12:30AM, and under strict orders from my wife Marjorie, stripped off his clothes in the outside hallway, leaving them there until the morning. There were no “hello’s,” no “I’m home,” or warm hugs. He headed straight for the shower.

Marjorie and I were so relieved to have our son back home. Our two daughters live in Brooklyn, and even though we haven’t seen them, knowing that they are in driving distance is reassuring. There is such great comfort having those we love close by, especially in an unprecedented time like this. I sighed with relief.

The very next day, since everything was closed, Phillip borrowed weights from a gym, and commandeered our living room. First, there were sets of 25 and 50 lbs dumbbells; then 10s and 15s appeared for Marjorie. So, as we shelter in place, we have our daily workout sessions.

Before the virus, we all used to work out individually, finding time that worked with our schedules. Now exercising has become a family activity, much like Netflix, Tiger King, Banana Grams, and 1,000 piece puzzles.

The real irony? I now work out 5 times a week more than I used to. Go figure.

Aron