The Lockdown

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Andy's predicament about introducing Cam to his friends was solved by the easiest method he could think of: he changed his Facebook status and posted a picture on Instagram. Although he did not use the platforms as much as he used to, that simple click of a button basically guaranteed the spread of the news almost instantly. Andy occasionally kept in touch with a few friends and relatives during the pandemic, however, the details of his love life had never really been a topic he shared with anybody in normal circumstances. There were a few predictable crude comments and jokes, mostly directed at Andy's far from pristine past, but the overall reception was positive if a bit incredulous. The most hilarious reaction predictably came from Lisa, who called Andy a few minutes after his post. She actually took the news really well claiming she had seen something between the two men when they had their brunch and lamented on her missed opportunity to start something with both of them. Now wouldn't that have been fun?!

Before the public announcement, Andy felt he had to make one preemptive phone call. He called Norah, with whom he hadn't spoken ever since she moved out. Norah was surprised by the unexpected contact. Andy started with a long winded apology regarding their relationship, the mistakes he now realized he made during the time they were together, how he failed to appreciate Norah and commit to her wholeheartedly. He framed his assertions by mentioning that he met someone and this new relationship made him aware of the mistakes of his past. Norah was touched by the call, and she admitted, in turn, that she was not that invested in their relationship either and the failure should probably be shared at least in part. She loved her new job and she was happily dating a guy she met before the pandemic began. Andy then shared the news that he fell in love with another man, which was, at first, met by complete silence. He filled the void talking about the love of his life, how Cam changed everything he ever thought about the world, how happy he makes him. Norah listened for a while and finished the conversation shortly after thanking Andy for calling her.

A few days after Andy's post, he received a long email from Norah detailing her insecurities and incomprehension how Andy could choose a man over her. By the end of the rambling letter she came to the conclusion that everything was Andy's fault and wished she had never met him. Andy felt helpless dealing with Norah's accusations. He asked for advice from Jennie, who suggested to him to let Norah have some time to digest the situation and maybe reach out to her later. She wisely pointed out that ending their relationship was a mutual decision and Andy should not make the same mistake Norah did and dwell on the past.

It was another two months until they were allowed to reopen the bar finally. Although the pandemic was successfully curbed in the area, a flare-up could be even more devastating for the economy and the authorities needed to keep an eye on the reopening bars and restaurants. They got the grants they applied for that somewhat eased the lack of income but Andy decided to forego the bank loan for the time being. They used the time to clean out the back yard, and although opening that area would eventually require some serious construction work for which they had no funds presently, still it was nice to imagine the future of the bar. They did, however, set up the kitchen appliances they bought with the video money, passed the health inspection with flying colors and Cam worked out a short menu of appetizers mostly that could be easily prepared by him.

They had been advertising the reopening of the bar on a banner hanging across the front facade for the past week and they thought they were well prepared sorting out the different roles among the four of them. Uncle Joe would handle the till and he was the only one allowed to touch the money changing hands, Andy would be behind the bar, Sarah would serve the patrons outside and bus the tables. Cam would make the appetizers and pack the dishwasher if needed. To avoid possible cross contamination, they worked out a protocol involving lots of glove changes and hand washing. There were hand sanitizers all over the place and they were all supposed to frequently use them. Andy ordered a lot of N95 masks online and used a sharpie to draw groovy looking images on them to fit the atmosphere of a bar. He thought they should open earlier than usual as the curfew was still at 10 pm, which meant last call at 9, and the most likely lighter first few hours should make it easier to sort out any potential problems that might arise. They were ready with the outdoor setup by 3 and the first patrons showed up exactly at 4 as Andy flipped the sign from closed to open.