Terry's Adventure in Wonderland

 It was a restful day in New York City, March 9, 2020, and I had to see my eye doctor. I knew the Wuhan Virus, as it was then called, was on the march. I saw in the waiting room dozens of patients sitting for their turn. I was prepared. I sat alone by the door, gloves on, isopropyl alcohol at hand, face away from the possibly infected crowd. I gather I was the only one. Yet I had declared a pandemic on February 4, 2020, yet no one seemed to care, especially in New York. Life continued as normal, but just for a few precious hours as the virus cut its deadly path through the city. I returned via the rather decrepit public transit, the New York subway reeking of urine and filth, the Penn Station which makes a Mumbai train station look elegant, and then onto New Jersey Transit, the biggest risk of getting anywhere. I fell asleep on the train.

 When I awoke it was 2021 and there was this White Rabbit (called a vaccine) and I was compelled to follow this creature, perhaps to catch up with it, to see just where it was going. So down the rabbit hole I flew, past web sites shouting that they were not available, that I was not qualified, that it was too late. I knew I must catch this White Rabbit so I tried to fall faster, despite my well grounded understanding of Newton's laws. I swung my arms and hands about my keyboard, from site to site, hour after hour, seeing in the Press that as an older person I was considered incompetent, but undeterred I continued. Down the hole I flew seeing doors slam closed with signs saying, "Prisoners Only", "Smokers Only". "Obese Only", "Press Only", and again and again the signs flew by telling me the White Rabbit could not be found behind any.

 Then, out of pure blind luck, I found one, and it said, "Follow Me". Now this door was an opening to a long winding path. First it said, "Wait here for a month". OK, I thought, at least I got through the door. So I sat, thinking that perhaps as I waited the White Rabbit would somehow appear. But alas, Not. Finally I was told by a sign to gather my things and set out along the road, for a long journey, a very long journey. I wondered if I had enough resources but I must find that White Rabbit. So off I went, hundreds of miles across the terrain of New Jersey, down along the Delaware, then off towards the Atlantic.

 Finally it appeared to be the trail of the White Rabbit. I parked and went to the gate. There were two short fat guards with guns and mace and clubs. They were named Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. They told me to go back to my place, the White Rabbit was having lunch, and not to be disturbed. I thus meekly returned as hundreds of others arrived, I gather also drawn by the White Rabbit.

 Come the appointed hour, I guess the White Rabbit had completed his mid-day nap, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum told us all to line up and proceed. Well it was down the rabbit hole again, a long twisting line down and down with guards checking us to each turn.

 Then out of nowhere I saw the King of Hearts, a somewhat obese man with a balding head and rather poor dentition running about shouting, "Off with their knuckleheads, off with their knuckleheads!" Frankly I had no idea what a "knucklehead" was and why this self-proclaimed King wanted to "off" them. But alas I knew I was somehow still in New Jersey and this may most likely be some South Jersey underworld lingo.

 Finally I saw the White Rabbit, I was nearing him, I could see others closer but as I continued down this part of the rabbit hole, I was almost there. Then, after all the effort, I got next to the White Rabbit, I grabbed his tufted tail, I was there….almost.

 Then I saw this strange creature, a long nose, pock marked face and glassy eyes, with the crumpled top hat, long coat, of some awful shade of green. He then said to me:

 "The White Rabbit can meet you again in three weeks, so you must let go and return then, we will make an appointment for you."

 I turned and spoke to the person next to me and asked, "who is that">

 She replied, "I hear he is called the Mad Hatter, he makes the second appointment."

 "Second appointment! What second appointment, I was here with the White Rabbit now!"

 Then a large caterpillar came to me, and he was smoking some sort of thing, and his head was encircled with smoke. I said, "Hey, this is a non-smoking area."

 The Caterpillar then said, "Plush, plush, poor person, please, plan, properly"

 I wondered just what he said, but then Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee escorted us out. But just as I was ascending before me appeared this giant cat, with a fearful grin, and in its churlish manner said:

 "We shall be in contact with your for your return. We shall see you again…."

 Up the rabbit hole I went, travelling hundreds of miles again, but to what I thought, to where, to when?

Upon my return I did get a message from the grinning Ceshire Cat. Well it was half a message anyhow. I was told to return to the rabbit hole, but now I was to be there at dawn, which meant a night time trip, hundreds of miles, during rush hour. All I could think of was returning to the land of the crazed Red King, his pompous assertions and seeing these creatures again. I am still in search of the White Rabbit, and I have the bite in my arm from my first attempted encounter.

 This has been a strange trip to Wonderland….I wonder how Alice managed? But the smiling Cheshire Cat said I must return, will this trip never end, will I get to speak with the White Rabbit, or is this still a dream and I am but on the NJ Transit back home?