Tucker McBride

Return to a time when a boy could be a boy; when life was more clear from the top branch of a tree; when a kid could trade anger and disappointment for action and adventure; when the whole neighborhood was his playground; and the sloppy kiss from a dog could make everything right.


Monday, March 30, 2020

Beat the Bug

Tucker and his friends loved to play baseball in the empty lot near his home. He was active all the time, from football, baseball, hunting, fishing, and anything that came to his mind. One day, Dr. Martin of the Health Department posted a sign on Moyer’s front door: QUARENTEEN.

Tim, Carolyn, and Betsy all had measles, chickenpox, and then mumps. Now it was Tucker’s turn. 

There were no vaccinations for these diseases in 1946. Tucker had to stay in the house, 24 hours a day, to keep it from spreading. This is just like you have to do during the coronavirus pandemic. What was he going to do? In his usual way, he got creative.

Here is something you can do: Beat the Virus.  Ask your parents to help you with the supplies needed.

Blow up a balloon. Tear some newspaper into strips. Add a little water to white glue to thin it. Put the strips of paper in the glue and cover the balloon with them. This will be a model of a virus cell after you have painted it. It looks like a round, blue ball with many red spikes sticking out. If you don’t have glue, paint the balloon just as it is. If you don’t have paint, use markers to draw the spikes on the balloon.

Now, take it outside, to the garage, an open space, wherever your parents think would be best. Now, hit it with a baseball bat, a stick, Grandpa’s cane, or whatever your parents allow you to use. When you hear the balloon inside pop, you have beaten the Coronavirus. In your everyday life, you can do it by staying in, away from others. Also:  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds. Singing Old MacDonald’s farm as you wash with soap is 20 seconds long:

Old MacDonald had a farm
Ee i ee i o
And on his farm he had some cows
Ee i ee i oh
With a moo-moo here
And a moo-moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo-moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
Ee i ee i o  

Have fun staying at home. I can’t do it, never accomplished anything. You are strong and you can choose to be happy at home.

Doris Gaines Rapp, PhD.

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