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    Home»Editorials/Opinion»A Brush With Covid In Sedona
    Editorials/Opinion

    A Brush With Covid In Sedona

    October 25, 202120 Comments
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    By Tommy Acosta

    Sedona news

    Sedona AZ News –As I walked into the West Sedona Post Office, I was confronted by this sickly-looking woman. 

    She was wearing a shabby grey coat too heavy for the day’s weather. She was older, holding a soiled green scarf to her face. She looked like the old Russian woman, they use on TV commercials to get us to send food and money.

    She was sick. Real sick. Eyes were lined with redness and puss at the corners. There was this sense of malaise about her. Her dark demeanor signaled pestilence.

    Standing four feet in front of me, facing me directly, holding eye contact, she coughed through the scarf in my direction.

    It was the sickest most vile cough I have ever heard. It was like the muffler of an idling motorcycle but higher pitched with phlegm to it. 

    “Covid,” my mind screamed!

    She racked another one, stronger and more fetid than the first, sending a second barrage of spores at my nose.

    I stopped mid-inhale, held my breath and turned away, measured my distance to the door, estimating the amount of oxygen left in my chest.

    Usually I fumble but I found the key in an instant, opened the mailbox door, got the mail and closed it.

    As the available amount of oxygen in my lungs dwindled to near zero, I covered the distance to the door, got through, walked about another five feet, gasped air and hurried to the car.

    Once my fear faded and I was able to contemplate what happened at the post office, I found it fascinating how Mr. Brave Tommy Acosta reacted like a scared chipmunk when coming face-to-face with the killer flu.

    Maybe it’s because I have not been near anyone at that “chunks-of-lung-coughing-out-of-your-mouth” level and seen only a few immune compromised people I know killed by it, that I’ve lived my life almost totally unconcerned that it could ever get me.

    I was chagrined realizing how fearful I actually was. As an individual who basically respects the potential for death the virus carries but also knows the odds of not dropping dead from it are overwhelmingly in my favor, I’ve walked into every scenario assured I was safe and immune.

    When I go into the post office the thought of Covid rarely arises. Often, I forget to wear a mask.

    My mind is mostly somewhere else writing something or thinking some kind of cosmic thought through, barely aware of my exterior surroundings.

    Sedona Gift Shop

    But when I walked into the post office that day, my thoughts stopped. 

    My mind and body knew I was in danger and they went to work protecting me.

    I am pretty sure I cut off the oxygen flow to my sinus and lungs before the first cough rumbled the spores out of her mouth far enough to get me.

    Perhaps I should have exited immediately and leave the mail. Come back when it was safer. But my unconscious mind took over, directing my body to get the mail out first, then head for the door — as if whatever those pieces of paper are, they were more important than my life.

    And her eyes…besides the inflammation and sallowness, they were full of shame and pain. There was a vengeance in them. She knew she had Covid and should not have been there. She was getting even.

    This happened two weeks ago and since, I did get tested. Negative.

    Some would say I am cavalier, taking chances by continuing to enjoy being out and about, care and mask free.

    From my perspective, in Sedona, we rarely see people wearing masks or people sick or dying with Covid. Truth.

    Was the apparition of that woman my imagination? Was she deathly ill? Was she trying to infect me? I believe she was. I felt it in my bones.

    When she coughed that hollow, tubular expulsion through her rag, I knew it right away. 

    Covid!

    It could be nothing else. That’s what I believed, anyway.

    I did observe my reaction to the danger. I perceived this woman presented and I took action.  I held my breath and got out quick.

    Maybe, deep down inside, I have a fear of this virus. 

    When the moment of truth came, where I was actually exposed to it in tight quarters, I ran. 

    Then again, it’s just the body surviving. Taking action to avoid a possible harm. It has nothing to do with bravery. It makes no difference what the level of danger was, at that moment. My body, and mind knew what to do.

    But most importantly. I am grateful I am a good breath holder. I’ll never walk into that post office again without being mindful of potential peril.

    Healing Paws

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    20 Comments

    1. Al Comello on October 25, 2021 2:31 pm

      Nicely done. Good insight. This disease is real and I tend to forget that too. Strange times these are for sure.

      • Sunshower Rose on October 28, 2021 5:33 pm

        Great article, Thomas.
        Hey, were you going to let me know about a service for Steve?

        Thanx!

    2. D. on October 25, 2021 4:08 pm

      It is not smart to go ANYWHERE without a mask. The experts tell us to use them. They know. If you don’t care about your own health wear them for babies and the immuno compromised. It is smart. Way too many people in Sedona don”t wear them.

      • JJSedona on October 29, 2021 1:48 pm

        Please cite any supporting studies that prove that masks do anything at all to stop or slow the spread of the China Virus.

    3. kathy Partch on October 25, 2021 4:12 pm

      A good reminder that living life is REAL!

    4. S Suzanne on October 26, 2021 1:55 am

      I am disappoointed that you chose to use one of those photos that subliminally program the masses for your article about a face to face with a human being who sadly enough must have felt a need to go out in public on that day in that sickened condition.
      I am happy to read your articles, Tommy, including this one about facing your own fear… but I cover the above image and others like these by choice, so as not to take in the programming and be under it’s influence. (having been trained in areas of the mind – I am well aware of the impact). Ever hear about subliminals in TV programming? Only takes once frame in a film to imprint the message – and get the reaction.
      We are each welcome to make our own choices – I, for one, take responsibility for making sure that they ARE “my choices” and not just a result of someone else’s agenda/programming.

    5. JJSedona on October 26, 2021 11:39 am

      Bhahahahaa!

      another too afraid of getting the flu – even if you would have come down with the COVID virus, your chances for survival are 96%. Don’t let the mind- controlled mass media get to you.

      Thanks for the laugh. Enjoy your day – !

      On the road to de-mask- us.

      -JJ

    6. Danusia Szumowski on October 29, 2021 11:11 am

      I hope that you are vaccinated. Please know that she had outward symptoms, but MANY people do not. A mask will only do so much – especially the cloth masks or the paper blue ones. Please remember that your decision can affect those that love and cherish you should you not be so lucky next time.

      • JJSedona on October 29, 2021 1:52 pm

        Please provide proof that this old woman actually had COVID.

        • Tommy Acosta on November 1, 2021 8:46 pm

          Hi JJ:

          I have no proof of anything other than I too have been programmed to fear the bug even though I’ve thought all this time I did not. She just looked so sick my unconscious mind tripped on the fear that I had finally came face-to-face with the plaque. I wasn’t wearing a mask. She wasn’t either. It was just her, me, the spores, and my fertile imagination.

          The incident taught me to be even more aware of the programming we are subjected to through the myriad of media platforms we connect with. That was my lesson.

          • JJSedona on November 2, 2021 12:09 pm

            Hi Tommy –
            There’s been many mask studies since the pandemic began and they all conclude that Masks do NOTHING to stop the spread of the China Virus.
            You agree that it was only FEAR of someone who LOOKED old and sick that triggered you. God bless those who see old sick and lonely people and actually help them and/or ask them if they need any assistance.
            The masks create FEAR and removes any compassion for others.
            I certainly do hope you have learned your lesson that the only way to stop the “pandemic” is to reject the experimental injections, take off the masks and say NO THANKS.
            Otherwise, you’ll find the US in lockstep with global medical tyranny and despite whatever you want to do with your own body, the government will say otherwise.
            There’s no pandemic.
            Kids are not at risk.
            You’re not at risk of dying of COVID – you have a 97% chance of survival if you get it and a strong immunity after having it. The vaccine is like playing Russian roulette with your health should you take it, and the vaccine does NOTHING to stop you from getting the disease and makes you a super-spreader.
            Just say NO THANKS.
            VACCINE PASSPORTS IS COMMUNISM.

    7. JJSedona on October 29, 2021 1:43 pm

      @Danusia Szumowski: The China Virus quack-cine will not prevent you from getting the virus or prevent you from spreading the virus. In Ireland, 91% have received the jab and they have the highest rate of China Virus cases in the world. On the other hand, the Scandinavian countries have given up masks, social distances and the deathly jab and have virtually NO China virus. Now they want to give this untested, experimental jab to our kids. This is not just a NO but a HELL NO! Wake up America, you’re being played. We’ve gone from “two weeks to flatten the curve” to 3 jabs or lose your job. Americans have to decide if they want to risk their life and their health and take the China virus jab or live without income. Perhaps we all need to break into China and see if they will pay us $500,000.

      • Albe on November 19, 2021 12:42 pm

        Dumb is as dumb does!

    8. S Suzanne on November 5, 2021 6:20 pm

      You night be surprised at just how many people living in Sedona decided to take the jab … I was.

    9. liberty lincoln on November 6, 2021 6:25 am

      Why did you not try to help her?? Go to emergency or urgent care… YOU just ran away….

      • Tommy Acosta on November 6, 2021 2:08 pm

        Hi Liberty. Yup. I ran away like a scaredy cat holding my breath — such the power of media-fear programming I did not realize I was infected with until that moment. But when she caught my eye, there was hatred, anger in them. She was ambulatory and did not appear to want any help. If she was on the floor or in dire distress, I would have called 911. I do get your point.

        • Common sense on November 7, 2021 10:34 am

          What I find most interesting is it sure didnt take a pandemic for me to avoid people with a cold or flu?

          I always wash my hands regularly also?

          This is a new thing for some of you?…

    10. libertylincoln on November 7, 2021 8:26 am

      thanks Tommy… you have a heart….. and I send you love …. Ms Lib

    11. JJSedona on November 7, 2021 2:17 pm

      Yes, Sedona is lovely that way.

    12. Albe on November 19, 2021 12:39 pm

      Are you sure that ……JJSedona wasn’t the old lady coughing at the post office?

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