The last two years have been hell for all of us. The Wuhan Coronavirus came out of China nowhere and uprooted everyone's life. Countries, corporations, and civilization itself, at least in the sense we knew it before the pandemic, have been turned completely upside down, and while the real culprit in causing the pandemic seems rather glaringly obvious to most people with any sense, there are those in China certain circles who have been working diligently to shift the blame find the virus's "real" origin. They want to know, "who is really responsible for Covid-19?"
Well, it's time for a confession.
I am.
Let me explain.
The year 2019 was a year of absolute hell for me. I won't go into the reasons why right now, but the link in that text will take you to an article that does. And two years ago today, on December 29, 2019 (a Sunday) I was sitting in my apartment in Beijing, reflecting on it. My last class for the year was done. The year that had cost me almost everything (at least "almost" up to that point) was mere days away from completion. I had nothing left to do but relax, enjoy some Tsingtao beers (if you want to call that swill a beer), and prepare for a New Year's Party with the Russian bombshell I was dating at the time. It seemed I had come through the crucible of 2019 and emerged, though not even close to unscathed, at least alive. And during a conversation on this topic, with my karate instructor, I sent a WeChat voice message I will never forget.
"Well Sensei, it's been rough I'll admit, but it's done. The year 2019 couldn't possibly conjure up any more surprises for me in two days, and 2020 can't possibly be any worse."
...When you get through cringing, read on.
You see, this is how you tempt fate twice in one sentence. Let's look at the first part.
"The year 2019 couldn't possibly conjure up any more surprises for me in three days..." (sigh...) Patriam, you damned fool. See, by the time the ball dropped in Times Square to usher in 2020, not even 50 hours after this statement, I'd been arrested, informed that I was being expelled from the country over a typo on a visa paper, and had lost the last few thousand dollars I had, in fines and bribes to what China laughably calls a legal system.
And of course, the piece de resistance...
"...and 2020 can't possibly be any worse."
(Insert dark, mirthless chuckle that slowly evolves into the maniacal cackling of someone whose mind has just snapped, right here)
So... yeah. I did it.
I caused Covid-19.
BWAAAAhahahaha!
I mean, I opened my mouth and basically dared the Fates, the Furies and all the devils of Hell to step up, and I spat in their faces and said "whatcha gonna do about it? Huh, chump?" Many people open their mouth and invite disaster. But only I, Patriam Reminisci, am bold enough to draw it a map and hand it a key. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
...I'm being facetious of course.
But anyway, 2020 happened. And we all hoped 2021 would be better. And... it wasn't. Not in any important way, anyway. So now, a lot of us have high hopes for 2022, but...
...I'm thinkin' I'll withhold judgement and see what happens. And as we go into 2022, I'm just going to tip my hat and say "anyone who survives, let's meet up later for a drink."