Chapter Seven
We know what is good for you
April 27
Arthur glanced at the clock and moved to the den and sat down, turning on the large flat screen TV. He laughed to himself as he sat down in his chair because he’d bought the TV for ten dollars because the man had said it didn’t work and when Arthur got it home, he found out a tiny fuse had blown. Replacing a ten-cent fuse, Arthur had gotten a seven grand TV for ten dollars and ten cents.
He turned it to a major network, something he hadn’t done in years, and waited. The director of the CDC was to come on at five and give a report of the flu virus that was breaking out. He’d made a few calls to the hospitals he worked at and none of them said they were getting stockpiled with any treatment drugs.
On the websites he visited, there were talks of deaths from the flu but they were mostly from Mexico City. Hospitals in major cities were filling up, but weren’t reporting deaths. To be honest, if Wendy had been at home, he wouldn’t have been concerned.
As the commercial ended, the screen cut to a podium with CDC in glass letters stuck on the front. A man that looked to be in his mid-thirties stepped up to the podium. “Good evening, for those that don’t know, I’m Ernie Ostimer, Director of the CDC.
I’m speaking to you this evening about the flu that arrived in our country a few weeks back. First, yes, there have been deaths, but as I hope everyone knows, the flu still kills. The latest death was an eighty-two-year-old in Rhode Island.”
Ernie looked down at the teleprompter and then down at his notes before turning back to the cameras. “The CDC is recommending that everyone use standard precautions and make an appointment with your primary care physician to receive your flu shot early this year. We are working with manufacturers to get the first batches out soon.”
Arthur leaned the recliner back, “This is the same shit you fuckers say every year,” he mumbled. He may not watch TV, but he still had to read the handouts the CDC sent to the hospitals. For twenty minutes, Arthur listened and swore Ernie was just babbling. When he’d finished his speech, Ernie started taking questions and Arthur shook his head.
“My god, is this guy even a doctor?” he mumbled as Mickey jumped up in his lap. “Oh, come on, I don’t want your hair all over me,” he said, picking the cat up and putting it on the couch.
As Ernie finished talking after the last question, because he sure wasn’t answering them, a reporter yelled out. “What about the deaths we are hearing about in Mexico?”
Arthur turned to the screen as Ernie turned toward the reporter with a remorseful smile. “I’m sorry to say, there are more deaths in Mexico than here like there always is but I hate to say it, Mexico doesn’t have our health care system. They don’t have the vaccination programs we have, so I hope you can understand why they have more deaths,” Ernie replied, ending in a sigh.
“This idiot doesn’t know and isn’t saying shit about what he does know. He talked for half an hour and never gave any information,” Arthur gasped in awe. “He’s going to be president one day.”
As Ernie took another question, the local news came on and a male anchor filled the screen. “We will bring you the highlights of the rest of the press conference at the CDC during our ten o’clock program tonight,” the anchor smiled at the screen. “We have your news and weather now.”
Raising the remote, Arthur turned the channel to the Science channel. “You ain’t bringing me shit, numb nuts,” Arthur popped off. “At least when you had the hot redhead, I could look at hooters.”
When the phone rang Arthur leaned over, grabbing the cordless and saw an international number. “Hello,” he answered.
“Hey, hun,” Wendy said.
“Hey, babe, how are you?” Arthur said, sitting up in his chair.
“About to go eat,” Wendy answered. “Did you watch the CDC press conference?”
“Yeah, and it was so boring that the local station cut it off and will play the highlights tonight at ten.”
“Did they say anything?” Wendy asked.
“Just what we always get in the pamphlets at the hospitals,” Arthur laughed. “Oh, and the director of the CDC is the male version of Alicia. He can talk forever and not say one damn thing.”
The phone was silent and Arthur looked to make sure he hadn’t lost the call. “We have to make sure they never meet,” Wendy declared.
“So, is Alicia being her normal self?”
“Eww-ah,” Wendy warbled as she suppressed a shiver. “Hun, she’s wearing a two-piece bikini and the bottoms are thongs.”
Pole-vaulting out of his chair, “What?!” Arthur shouted and the cats took off running. “She’s seventy pounds overweight! Don’t they have, like, fashion police on the ship? I know there has to be kids, that could scare some people.”
“You’re being generous with her weight,” Wendy said, shivering again. “Alicia is an inch shorter than me and weighs well over two fifty; closer to three hundred.”
Forcing the images out of his mind, “So are you and your sister getting along?” Arthur asked, wanting his mind sidetracked.
“Oh, Gloria is having a blast and I have to say, I’m enjoying rooming with her,” Wendy laughed. “You having any trouble?”
“Trouble?” Arthur scoffed. “I’m getting yours and my tasks knocked out before eleven.”
“Well, I might just see if I can take a longer cruise,” Wendy snickered.
“You can,
