The Corona Capsule

*Taps microphone* Hi! I’m Right Hand. I’m always right, but my twin, Left Hand, doesn’t think so.  There’s an idiom that goes “Never let your right hand know what your left hand is doing,” and that is the most accurate description of our relationship. We’ve been separated our whole lives, hence our strong independence, but when we have to work together our differences harmonize on our life-long piano .  Lately, we’ve been hot and bothered under latex and we’ve been feeling like penises with nothing to penetrate. WHAT HAPPENED TO RAW DOGGIN’ IT, MAN?  *Left Hand exclaims in agreement* RIGHT?! *Right Hand exclaims thinking Left Hand is calling for attention* WHAT? I’M TELLING A STORY! Left Hand can be so intrusive sometimes… But apparently there’s a “virus” going on titled COVID-19 and/or Corona that has flicked the off switch on world operations that has us wearing t his sweaty, thin, extra layer of skin.  We’ve been seeing a lot of s...

Rice and Beans by Eva Reyes It was a Saturday morning when I got the call. Shortly after 10am Dr. Allam informed me that you tested positive for Coronavirus. Our relationship had frayed years ago- the result of bitterness, angry love, and each of us being just a little too headstrong. I had just come back into your life after finding out you had lung cancer. Honestly, the lung cancer was a relief- something I came to expect after a lifetime of watching you smoke a pack of Marlboro Reds for days.   Funny story, when I was a kid I remember my mom collecting the box-tops. Buying multiple Costco size cartons in order to collect the proof-of-purchase. Before it was outlawed, cigarette companies used to have rewards programs. You know, collect 20 box tops from cereal boxes and you get a pencil case or some shit- except this was with cigarettes and instead of a pencil case you got a Marlboro bomber jacket, a small tool kit, or one of those Billy Big Mouth Bass fish that sang “don’t...

Sanitizing Racism In The Age of Corona  by Desiree Fernandez  Before you step outside, if you dare, to get some fresh air, to hear the sounds of birds, hums of cars and whispers of your neighbors, you arm yourself with a mask. Now this mask is different than putting on a face of makeup or codeswitching. It’s a literal mask—a medical or cloth mask. You wear it to protect yourself, to protect others, and to protect against. But what are you protecting yourself from? The obvious answer, is Covid-19. Another answer is perhaps by wearing the mask, you are protecting yourself from everyone, from the past, from the judgement.  Whenever someone wore a mask, there was always an underlying judgement that followed. If you wore a mask, especially if you were Asian which is ironic given this pandemic, then you were assumed to be sick, to be avoided. If you wore a mask or any facial covering as a person of color, you were a criminal, which is interesting because isn’t being si...