Masks, masks,masks – kindness in NYC un-masked
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Caribbean Life, May 8-14, 2020 11
The goodness and kindness
of average citizens has certainly
forged forward during these days
and months of COVID 19 quarantine
in New York.
As a resident of the county of
Kings, throughout these perilous
days, I have evidenced more than
a few acts of kindness emanating
from actions by queens who
have stepped forward to provide
comfort to others during these
scary times.
Consider, a neighbor, an individual
I now know to be Sarah
Martinez; a parent to three,
young, children she is now obligated
to home-school from 9 a
m. to 2 pm. every day because
of the state declared quarantine
and due to our shared predicaments
are now more than passing
neighbors.
She lives on a floor 12 flights
beneath mine and as many from
where her mother-in-law resides
two units away among 18 others
in a 22-floor, seven-building
housing complex.
Recently, the Puerto Rican
family lost their patriarch and
are adjusting to life in quarantine
without Tony, a tiger and once
fierce father-figure who provided
for his wife Alma and four children.
Despite the personal tragedy
the widow, Alma Martinez is
extending herself beyond confined
quarters and though bereaved,
has unselfishly offered courtesies
to neighbors. A personal testimonial
to her philanthropy gratefully
acknowledges the day she
suggested she would assist with
replenishing my grocery needs
whenever she ventured out.
It was an offer I could not
refuse.
I have been supplying a grocery
list and on each occasion
she has braved the surge from
the pandemic she has indulged
my requests in order to spare
me the agony of standing on
long lines at my local bodega and
supermarket.
Our mutual arrangement is
continuing with our doorknobs
being the intermediary for pickup
and delivery.
Alma’s generosity did not
stop there, on a day when I least
expected to hear my door-bell it
sounded a call for response. When
I opened the door there was a bag
hanging from the knob. Inside a
lovely, handmade mask — lined
and filtered for my protection.
A note informed its origin so
I called to express my gratitude
for the free, unselfish act of kindness.
That she would even consider
gifting the safety item truly
heartened my day.
I called to thank her and to
inquire about the origin of the
beautiful custom-made personal
protective item.
She told me it was made by
her daughter-in-law Sarah, the
mother of three.
It was then that I imagined
how beneficial such a lovely covering
could serve the maintenance
and management team
who toil in the housing development
to make the buildings
operative.
It was also my belief that the
task of making the items could
provide supplemental stimulus to
the mother who is unable to earn
a salary as usual.
I showed off my gift to one
of my maintenance workers.
On seeing the photo image, he
suggested a willingness to pay a
nominal fee for one he thought
might protect him from the routine
duties he performs daily disposing
of tons of garbage, cleaning
elevators, laundry rooms,
mopping floors, etc.
Against Sarah’s resistance to
accepting compensation I insisted,
citing the reality of feeding
a family under unsalaried quarantine.
Apprehensively she conceded.
Needless, to say my next
impulse was to recruit my generous
friends to purchase the one
of a kind masks to aid the selfless
mom whose initial motivation
was only to help others.
My dear friends jumped at the
idea.
I dugged into my Labor Day
stash of scarves, flags and cloths;
resurrected the stored fabrics I
had acquired from years of making
numerous trips to 20 of the
55 states of Africa.
Additionally, the promotional
cloths annually thrown into
crowds for masqueraders to “get
something and wave” proved purposeful.
They all bear colorful banners
from many Caribbean islands
and seem to be the enticement
friends find alluring to participate
in my initiative.
Catch you on the Inside!
A homemade mask.
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce
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