This is an excerpt of “Just one more time…”, a fictionalised account of real-life experiences during the first year of the COVID19 pandemic. “Just one more time…” was published in December 2021 in the The AutoEthnographer: A Literary and Arts Journal.

The fictionalised account tells the story of NHS nurse Hannah, her ex-husband Richard, their two children and Richard’s second wife Sofia. Through the fictionalisation, I demonstrate the impact of the COVID19 emergency measures on individuals and society by exploring the microcosm of the family as a metaphor for entire cultures and societies.

 

For the full story, please, see The AutoEthnographer: A Literary and Arts Journal.

 

“Just one more time…”: a family’s experience of COVID social distancing

 

Wednesday, 18^th March 2020

“Luke, stop annoying your sister! Libby, stop shouting! Get the table ready for dinner, both of you! It won’t be long now!”

Hannah watches the pot with pasta, stirs the tomato sauce and turns up the volume on the television. The daily press briefing is going to start any time now, and Hannah hopes that this time the news will be good.

“Mum! Luke stole my crayons!”

“I did! Because Libby is taking up all the space!”

“Libby! Luke! Stop it! Both of you! There’s the Prime Minister! The briefing is about to start!”

Hannah is amazed. Usually, the kids wouldn’t end their squabbles that quickly, but obviously today is all about what happens next. Taking the bubbling pot off the hob, Hannah listens intently to the Prime Minister’s voice.

“… So, looking at the curve of the disease and looking at where we are now – we think now that we must apply downward pressure, further downward pressure on that upward curve by closing the schools. So, I can announce today and Gavin Williamson making statement now in House of Commons that after schools shut their gates from Friday afternoon, they will remain closed for most pupils…”

“Hurray! Yay!”
“Yippie!”

“School’s closed, school’s closed!”

The sudden explosion of noise in the small flat is deafening.

“Luke! Libby! Stop shouting! Stop jumping on the sofa!”

“School’s closed, school’s closed!”

“Stop jumping on the sofa!”

“Just one more time! School’s closed!”

“Not for you two!” Hannah mutters more to herself than the two overexcited children. […]

 

Reference:

Brown, N. (2021, December 10). Autoethnographic fiction: “Just one more time…”, a family’s experience of COVID social distancing. The AutoEthnographer – A Literary and Arts Journal. https://theautoethnographer.com/autoethnographic-fiction-just-one-more-time-a-familys-experience-of-covid-social-distancing/