The empty streets of March

The lock down was solitary confinement for many people; they couldn't stand the isolation. Most people are to some degree extroverts and need the presence of other people. The importance of socializing impressed itself on us; now socializing was restricted, wash your hands, wear a mask, social distance, no two cheek kisses, no hand shakes, avoid walking by anyone you might pass on the street. Arrows on grocery store floors directed people on walking in aisles, you walked in the direction of the arrow; if you lined up outside a store you were instructed to social distance from other people, two metres, six feet between people. Behave yourself, now, we don't want any trouble out of you... 

                                       

Can you take me back?

Can you take me back where I came from? One pre-Covid day I found myself singing this Beatle's song to myself as I walked along the street. Whatever it meant before Covid, it now has a whole new meaning.

                            Can you take me back?
                            Can you take me back where I came from?
                            Can you take me back?

                            Are you happy living here honey?
                            Honey are you happy living here?
                            I ain't happy living here baby
                            Honey can you take me back?

                                             --The Beatles, "Can You Take me Back"

Except for essential services, most stores, restaurants and schools were closed beginning around March 13, 2020. Grocery stores and pharmacies remained opened; at first there was some panic buying as can be seen by these empty shelves at our local IGA grocery store. The streets were deserted, buses had no passengers, we lined up to enter grocery stores, the fun had been taken from life and it has not returned. 

Not as widely reported was the increase in the number of suicides; there was one suicide a few blocks from here, we drove by the scene of this suicide a few minutes after it happened. I saw the body of the deceased lying on the grass surrounded by police officers. There was a second suicide also a few blocks away from where we live. Both of these suicides were at residences for old people. How could it have been otherwise? The old were isolated from other people and confined to their rooms.  

 

Our empty pandemic streets

Staying at home, businesses closed, the streets were eerily quiet in March 2020; it was hard to believe that there were people living in those apartment buildings and houses. Many people didn't go outside, they were afraid of being infected by Covid-19, or they thought they weren't allowed to leave their homes. I continued with daily walks and saw very few people. 

Welcome to our Dystopian Future

My plan is to post photographs I've taken during the Covid months, in this first series the photographs were taken in March 2020. Below are photos of Cote St-Luc Shopping Centre (a half block from where I live) just days after it was closed due to Covid lockdown. At the time we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into and we're still not sure how this will end.