"The Covid Catastrophe"
by Jeff McMullen
This short story had me glued to my seat. I wasn't sure how it was all going to end, so I sat reading on "pins and needles." I did find some of author Jeff McMullen's description of his daily routine, a bit fictionalized. (I believe he has been wearing the same robe everyday for four weeks.) However, the story did give a lot of insight into the life of a sixth grader stuck at home. Some of the underlying themes of family and boredom ring true with all of us affected by Covid-19. McMullen's openness about the struggles of setting up a schedule, doing school work, and then finding something to occupy his time, all the while not driving his parents crazy, is mesmerizing. Chapter Seven brought me to tears, and I appreciated his appeal to his readers "...it only starts with you and all the rest of us to stay home..." I hope McMullen continues to write about his time while sheltering-at-home. I'm a big fan.
I’m times of crisis such as these. We as adults sometimes forget or overlook the feelings and insights of the young among us. We can learn much from the thoughts and perspectives of young Master McMullen. His writings have a certain naive quality, while his observations about the world around him are rooted in reality. He exudes compassionate in Chapter 7, when he speaks of the COVID patient that he personally knew, that passed away from the virus. I personally would like to read a follow-up story or a continuation of this one to find out more. Good work young man. The future of journalism is in good hands.
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