I spent part of last night and this morning rather angry. I mean, *really, really angry”. For good reason, too.

I’m 100% positive. Nary a doubt in the universe. That’s quite a strong response, to be honest, but it’s deserved.

Then, I got yelled at for telling someone.

Here’s the thing: I ended up with Covid. I haven’t been out of the house in over a month, except one trip to the grocery store. Weeks ago. And I was masked, used hand sanitizer, etc., etc., etc. There is only one way I could have been infected.

H was sick about a week ago. Then I started getting sick. It honestly felt like a low-key sinus infection for the first couple of days. By the third day, I had awful chills; a severe headache; a dry, persistent cough; horrendous Body Aches; and my sinuses were half congested/half draining like mofos. On day four, my cough turned productive and chunky, plus all the other symptoms were kicking my ass. Day five was slightly better??? Day six was awful again.

Day six was also the day my Covid test kits finally arrived. I took a test, et voilà! Positive from the very second the solution hit the test card. I waited the full 15 minutes, though, to confirm. The results hadn’t changed.

I promptly informed H. Instead of staying home, he opted to go to an open mic at a local restaurant. He’d been to one on Monday as well.

When he got home, I made him do a Covid test, too. While his wasn’t strongly positive from the start, it was positive. When I suggested he needed to inform both venues he’d been to, he said he wasn’t going to tell them, that everyone goes out to such places and takes their chances. I disagreed and he told me I could inform the guy who runs the open mic night at one of the places. And that’s exactly what I did.

Why? Because it’s the Responsible course of action! Both H and I have been vaccinated. Some of the people who attend and/or perform the open mic events may not be vaccinated or may have family who haven’t been and who are immunocompromised. They should be told.

When I woke up today, H was pissed because I did exactly what I told him I’d do, what he told me I should do, what was the proper response to having a positive result. It was not a pretty conversation. However, I stood my ground. Then he was mad because his name was mentioned. Listen, it shouldn’t matter! Just be responsible.

Him: why did you have to tell them it was me?

Me: I passed along the info like you agreed to.

Him: but, tell me why you had to share my name!

Me: depending on who you were talking with, as well as who was in the closest proximity to you, it’s all relevant.

Him: and so, now what am I supposed to do? I’m just supposed to stay home and not go anywhere the entire time? Even if I don’t have symptoms? Bored?

Me: that’s right. That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do!

H was livid. After him trying to make me feel badly about the situation, it was my turn to get cartoon-level furious! How. Fucking. Dare. He? None of this was my fault!

I passed along word because some of the people who go to open mic nights have newborns, while others have adults in their lives who might not be able to fight the virus so readily.

A few hours later, H had come to his senses and posted online that he was, indeed positive for Covid. The way he worded it was great and it was exactly the way I would’ve written it myself.

What made/makes me rage-y about the situation is how he tried to make me feel I was in the wrong for doing what I did. That somehow, I was the asshole responsible for any and all anger that might come his way.

This is the part of the post where I get fucking real. Real bitchy, that is: if you aren’t going to take responsibility for getting the information out to there in the world, you don’t get to be a fucking asshole about how it’s done. If you don’t want people to think you’re a selfish prick, maybe you should have the balls to tell them yourself. It’s that simple! If you want to control the narrative, you need to be the one to make the statement. Pretty easy, Public Disclosure 101 stuff.

I don’t know what the hell he was thinking prior to posting the news on social media, except that I know it wasn’t anything responsible, nor was it in any way, shape, or form my fault or my responsibility. He made it my responsibility by refusing to own up to his responsibility to his friends and the community at large.

Whatever made him change his mind, I’m just glad he did.

I can tell you this, too: it’s the last time I listen to him try to make something my fault, try to weasel out of doing the right thing, and definitely the last time he acts ignorant about the most basic of virus protocol.

I’m grateful I got vaccinated, that I’ve isolated, follow good handwashing routines, and am constantly disinfecting every surface I see. If I hadn’t or didn’t do any of those things, I can only imagine how sick I may have become.

I’m not out of the woods yet. I’m getting chills again tonight, the headache is building, and I can feel the body aches ramping up.

If you haven’t been to get the jab(s) yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. The side effects of the vaccine are minimal for 99.99999% of those who get the jab. Don’t take a chance on getting Covid. Again, I feel much, much, muchly better knowing I’m more likely to avoid hospitalization and avoiding more serious long-term effects of the virus because I’ve been vaccinated.

If what I’ve had thus far is the mild version, I’m glad I’m not having the worse version. Mild has been awful enough!

Please stay safe out there! Mask up, wash up, clean up, and vax up! The alternative is too horrendous to contemplate.

Yours in positive for Covid,
DG