Member-only story
COVID Killed My Partner’s Brother. The Pandemic is Far From Over.
An open letter to the man in the “NOT VACCINATED, FULLY PROTECTED” gun hoodie.
I stopped by the pharmacy on my way home from work to grab a few things. As I was leaving, I saw a man approaching the bank next door. He was gruff, broad-shouldered, a few inches taller than me, walking away from a truck. He was wearing boots and the jeans to compliment them, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed him at all if not for his gray hoodie that read, “NOT VACCINATED, FULLY PROTECTED.”
Between the phrases was a picture of a rifle.
I made an exaggerated point out of rolling my eyes, thankful for the ADHD meds repressing my impulsivity and holding me back from groaning “oh, fuck you” too loudly.
I know the world has plenty of stupid assholes. I’ve gotten used to ignoring them, and I probably would have been able to if not for this:
Three days earlier, my partner’s brother died in the ICU after falling ill with COVID-19. He was 37, a construction worker who was well-loved and respected by his coworkers. He’d had a troubled upbringing, spent some time in jail, and came out reformed and ready to make a better life for himself. I’d only met him a handful of times, but I could tell he was a good…
