Clear Vision : The Tour of the Year

Why, hello there. I'm J.T. and I'll be your tour guide today. Please remember to fasten your seat belts and remain seated at all times. Also, all patrons on this tour must wear face masks or you will be asked to exit and denied access to any further tour rides. Without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy the tour.

On your left: The silver ball has dropped in Times Square. Kisses are stolen for good luck while Living my Best Life plays in the background. Old Man Winter trucks along as usual, when outta nowhere, a chopper engulfs in purple and yellow flames. Black and red Mamba blood boils and evaporates into the chilled air. Nine lives rise up and float up into the arms of Heaven.

If you look to your right briefly: Onto an already short term time slot filled with your basic mandatory singing of "We Shall Overcome" and "Lift Every Voice" to earn your gold star for celebrating Black History. Cheers to learning that classic nursery songs actually had racist backgrounds, followed by the birth of an all new meaning to the word Corona.

Oh, now here's a fun four in one stop: as you can see, we have a large blood stained Quarantine sign out in front. See, because our dear guest Rona wanted to wreak some havoc, we unfortunately were forced to close all businesses and stay home. Unless you were an essential worker ----you were lucky enough to expose yourself potentially to Rona on the regular. Gloves, Lysol and Cottonelle alike : once an overabundance, now cleared completely out of sight. Free air breathing a thing of the past, businesses requiring us six feet apart whilst donning your facial mask. Now why the blood on the sign, you innocently inquire?? Maybe ask Breonna Taylor who lies permanently asleep after police opened fire. Or maybe Vanessa Guillen , who's vow to fight for the honor of her country turned into her family fighting to find her. Or perhaps George Floyd , another addition to the ever growing list of black casualties. Better yet, ask the viral video of the kneeling officer on his neck as he faintly squeaks out "I Can't Breathe". 

Whew, heavy stuff, huh?? And just think----we're only approaching the halfway mark. Now if you wish not to continue, exit quietly to your right. But for those who wish to stay : buckle up, you're in for a ride.

Let's direct our attention to our next stop: a large wall with paint cans and brushes, at a length that appears to be never ending. That, my friends, is called a mural . Variations of three letters, BLM , and Wakanda Forever accentuate the purple and orange sunset of motherland Africa with mutlicolor teardrops seeping from it's seams. From straight to the curvature, the tears manuvers along the letter edges , a subtle reminder that through all changes, God is good and a genius of sorts-----even when the vision we see is of total contrast. 

Oh , up ahead: 45 orange vaccine syringes lie afoot. Hmmm, a cute reminder for our annual flu shot, maybe?? A symbol of how Mr. President had mystically escaped the death filled sting Auntie Rona had impressioned on many other citizens of this 'great united country'  that ain't feeling too united these days??

I can tell y'all are getting testy and tired. Don't worry, we've approached our last stop.

Oh, what have we here??? Ballots aplenty rest in a mountain shape, awaiting count of who the next president to be is : T or B?? A day passes, then two , time trickling into three. On day four , middle finger up, our orange juice squeezed friend receive news his days as leader are officially numbered. An explosive release of relief has entered the chat room. Or so we thought. It's frenemies Doubt and Disbelief who wanted to hang out a while longer as count upon recount of votes ensued. 

As our train approaches it's final stop, tinsel and ornaments and pine trees had some audacity showing their faces round here. Though decorations were beautiful all the same, the spirit of Holiday had left the building long ago. Now as you step off train 1121 , please enjoy this complimentary flask of vodka. You'll certainly need something to gather yourselves to get through this thing called life.