Some may describe me as cynical.  Me?  I prefer realistic.  I look at data, and draw conclusions.  Unlike me watching movies, science is not emotional.  It doesn’t pick favorites, it doesn’t “let your child win”.  It spits out an answer based on a process.  What you do with that answer is entirely different.  That’s why when I see the market trading over 3000, and everyone talking about a V-shaped recovery I raise an eyebrow and say “What you talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?!”

As riots and protests break up the “all Covid, all the time news cycle”, my youngest is back to hockey, so life at home involves a lot less boredom and frustration.  My wife has begun to hoard ice time as if it is the new toilet paper just to get our kids out of the house and back to normalcy.  As a result, he had 3 practices, including one with High School kids that outweigh him by 50 lbs, and a strength training session yesterday.  All this was amazing for him and fine by me: the house is starting to close in on everyone and I miss driving with a purpose, and in particular, to youth sports.

Driving the city to take him to rinks but not being allowed to watch practice meant finding something to do for 4 – 1.5 hour time slots.  3 restaurants and the PGA Superstore were my destination. And what did I see?

Empty.  No lines.  No bustle.  Roads are empty.  Restaurants are empty.  Stores are empty.  Unlike oil and gas companies (the world’s largest non profit industry), businesses have to make profit. Normally, I’d make some snide statement here commenting on the 6’ requirement in booths (given that everyone is facing each other and breathing towards the middle, what’s the point?) or ask why an 8” plexiglass divider that easily socially distances booths isn’t allowed or ask why am I wearing a mask to walk 15’ and then sit and take it off, but I can’t.  Because at a popular restaurant in one of the biggest malls in the city, they didn’t need the extra capacity.

And when a business operates on an 8% margin, and the industry employees 13.5 million people… hope doesn’t fill seats.  Hope doesn’t pay bills.  Customers do.  And there were none to be seen.  Businesses were so efficient in their supply chains, their capacities, and their way of running that razor thin margins worked.  Those margins only work at pre-COVID capacities. So walk me through the V-shapes recovery again?