French Exit or Unceremonious Departure?

Recently, I was witnessed "ghosting" a house party. A guest in a friend's hallway in East London saw me sheepishly slipping on my red Adidas. "Pulling a French Exit?" he asked. I think the shame of being caught in the act is much worse than the guilt and questioning that plagues you over the following weeks -- "Was it rude or appropriate?". Regardless, a French Exit seems highly misnamed; according to the French etiquette books I've read, the Gauls insist on a long, devoted show of compliments and conversation and a kiss on each cheek to everyone present as they double check their coats for Oyster cards or car keys. The synonym "Irish Goodbye" is one that I can get my head around. The Irish and Irish-Americans don't want to put anyone out or be caught in earnest affection.

Wings near Angel Station

Frankly, it depends on the nature and size of the party.

My own exit from the UK is hasty and necessary and not what I planned. I imagined a lovely, stately graduation ceremony with everyone in tow, my whole British postgraduate family: school friends and professors alike. This was all before the growing menace of the "developing situation" of the Coronavirus pandemic. I figure if I stay any longer in the UK, I may be trapped as more and more draconian (but necessary!) measures are put into place, country by country.

Nice mellow folk band - give it a listen

The UK, I'm sorry to say, has been asleep at the wheel. At one point, the Johnson government was flirting with the idea of "herd immunity". It was uttered on television by health officials on March 13th when cases across the four countries of the UK had reached 798 with a death toll of 11. The idea of "herd immunity" sounded quite dodgy and sloppy even for this non-scientist. Doesn't herd immunity naturally occur when enough people receive vaccination for a disease? And news flash: there is no vaccination for Covid-19. What's more, I believe the Johnson goverment moved far too quickly from their "Contain" phase to the "Delay" phase. In "Contain" there was an emphasis on testing and tracking the contacts of those infected. Last I heard, the Tories have ceased testing even for people who exhibit serious symptoms. In another flip-flop, the UK WILL be testing far greater populations, hoping to bump up a 5,000 a day exercise to 25,000 a day. So maybe there is hope. But as any public health expert knows: interventions have to come early, in a consistent, truthful delivery and with a proactive, muscular approach.

House and Weeping Willow Trees near Essex Road Station

Still, for the greater part of the early crisis, life carried on as usual. There was a "Keep Calm and Carry On" attitude but viruses don't respect stoicism. One factor for transmission rates could depend on the levels of effusiveness and physical affection of a culture. And on this half-baked thesis of mine, England and the rest of the UK may have a cultural upper-hand as they are a people who seem to give eachother a lot personal space. London, though, because of its density is a different animal --which is why it is the epicenter of outbreak in the UK. Maybe why Italy is suffering so is because of their demographics. The CIA Factbook in 2014 pegged Italy as the 5th oldest country in the world. I wonder too if transmission skyrocketed because of the population density as well as the Italians' warm and affectionate mannerisms.

Flowers and another lovely house near Essex Road Station

As for this grain of sand upon a beach, I've decided to return to California pronto - out of concern for my partner and my family and the possibility that I may be trapped in the UK for up to 18 months if I resort to inaction. Borders are closing all over the world and it's easy to see the airlines discontinuing international flights. I did hear one happy rumour that United Airlines is the leader in making sure American citizens get home safely (they probably won some sort of contract on that end). Let's just hope I make it in time, for United was the airline I chose.

Major Arcana - Card #9 The Hermit, represents Virgo, Secret Knowledge and Introversion

Emotionally, I feel calm and focused but the whole fly-by-night departure just feels so unceremonious. My postgraduate instruction has moved on-line and there are other international students returning early to places like Singapore, Eastern Europe, Chile and the Caribbean. Not much of a peep from the other five American students. We are all encouraged to finish our coursework in a virtual format and I'm hoping I can communicate with my dissertation advisor by Zoom, FaceTime or Skype.

I thought this display was clever. Possibly Finsbury Library in Islington borough?

City Library books: Reference Guides, Sermons on Equality, and Glimpses into the Future

Two books for my class "Libraries and Publishing": Blog Theory and Alone Together

 Did I tell you that I want to be a librarian when I grow up?

Not to make it all about me but my karma of pulling dozens of French Exits throughout my life has come to bite me in the behind. Ceremony and conversation and hugs and good-byes are so important especially when the wolf is at the door.

I'll have a fuller, more poetic, review of my time spent in London in a later post.