It’s so damn odd hearing people say things like, “Oh, it doesn’t matter that a bunch of old people are dying of Covid, they would’ve died soon anyway.”

Those are grandmothers, grandfathers, friends, neighbors. People.

Thinking about that, pondering the utter lack of empathy and humanity that entails, I wonder how I always thought I had little empathy and no surfeit of benevolence towards my fellow humans. Compared to me, these people are Hannibal Lecter. Who knew? They just hid it better until the cards were on the table.

Also thinking about how much I’d sacrifice to spend even a few days with my dead friend again, and how these people — and there are so very many of them — seem content to just toss people in the dumpster the moment they become inconvenient, and then to tell others who are mourning that it’s ok gramps died, he would’ve died soon anyway since he was so old and useless.

I thought I was heartless. These people, though, have shown their true face, and it’s something I can’t forget nor look away from. It’s a big part of why I want to leave this country. They are vile and terrible and deserve nothing but scorn, derision and utter contempt.