Marilyn Hagerty: 'Coronavirus seems like a wild dream'

The weekend arrives with uncertainty and wonder. In a way, coronavirus seems like a wild dream.

And it fills the heart with wonder. Wonder over how to handle Mother’s Day from a distance. Wonder over the opening of fishing season in Minnesota.

Wonder what to tell the children. Wonder how you can gauge 6 feet to stay in distance of others for safety’s sake.

And you wonder what are those red sticks attached to the fire hydrants around town.

The red spikes are easy. The city is putting them up on all 3,500 fire hydrants in town. That way it will make it possible for fire fighters to spot the 6-foot spikes quickly.

Telling the children what is going on is not as easy. Explaining why it is dangerous to swing in the park or go down the slides is difficult.

There are things people told their children in days gone by. Today’s people grew up hearing about World War II after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Some of them listened to endless stories about the Great Depression and the drought in the 1930s.

Now those people and their children are trying to deal with coronavirus.

Meanwhile, incoming president Andrew Armacost seems to be settling in to his role as president of UND. People are dealing with the situation at hand.

They are determined to acknowledge the graduating seniors. Some way. Somehow. The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Chamber hosted a virtual happy hour Thursday via Zoom.

Breaking through the shadow of coronavirus was the first Great American Folk Show on Prairie Public radio. The variety show is masterminded by Tom Brosseau, a native of Grand Forks. Since its debut on Sunday, the response has been enthusiastic.

The show will go on with the tagline: A little place on the radio where you can come with your stories to share, sing songs and hear talk by great stories and great voices.

Reach Marilyn Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or by telephone at 701-772-1055.