{This fountain, viewed in the context of our own scary times, reminds me, as I suspect our fearless leader intended, of the Broad Street water pump. This pump, on what is now called Broadwick Street in London, was the source of the London Broad Street cholera epidemic of 1854 This outbreak took place during the global cholera pandemic, which lasted from 1846-1860.
The series Victoria on PBS’s Masterpiece has an episode, dramatizing the acts of Dr John Snow ( coincidence? I think not, all you Game of Thrones fans!) as he heroically discovered, that a single water pump was infecting so many. He also gets credit for coming up with the idea of the double-blind study, and many hail him, as a champion of science, over hysteria.
Of course, the fearsome malady of our own time, the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, does not spread in the same way. But still, there is much we can do, to hamper or slow its spread, such as washing our hands frequently, using hand sanitizer, avoiding crowds and unnecessary travel, and staying home if we are sick ( except for those in need of medical attention). I urge that we all listen to the scientists and each do our best, in our own small way, to help “cap the pump”. Thanks for reading this Friday Fictioneers -inspired piece, and please, take care of yourselves and your communities!}
Lithe Sabine and sickly, bottle-glassed Pascal sat at the fountain, six feet apart. Sunshine enveloped them. The two med students leaned back, eyes closed.
“Plans for Spring Break?” Pascal inquired, peeking, to appreciate the view.
“Spring Break? Plans? Ha!” Sabine scoffed. “We’ll be lucky to return by Fall!”
“Or at all,” moped Pascal, stroking his textbook’s worn binding. Epidemiology.
Suddenly, he reeled toward the fountain. “Unless…”
Sabine’s icy eyes met his, in crystallized anticipation.
He longed to touch— no.
“Unless…we cap the pump.”
“Like cholera?”
“Exactly.”
Pascal shuffled off to his lab.
“There is hope for us yet,” he mused.
Good parallel. Only this time the pump is travel. Hard choices need to be made.
Yes. Travel and close proximity and lax hygiene are the things we must avoid and abjure to the best of our ability, if we want to beat this thing!
Dear Andrea,
Topical story for the current troubled times. Let’s hope for a vaccine in the very near future. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Stay safe Rochelle. Thanks!
I concur with the comments of your other readers!
Concurrence noted! May we be unanimous in our efforts against this virus!
Yes!
Great connection between the prompt, the pump and both diseases. China is saying they may have a vaccine available in a month, let’s hope they do and can produce enough of it to help everyone
News to me! Ill keep washing my hands for now.
I really enjoyed your two characters. So different, yet drawn to the same field. And who knows? Maybe, somewhere, a Pascal will arise to cap the pump 🙂
Hope so granonine!
As others have said, great inspiration there. It’ll take a long while to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, maybe in time for the next outbreak. In the meantime, as you say, we can all try to slow or limit it’s spread. I’m certainly washing my hands a lot more than usual! Keep well, Andrea
You too Lynn!
The last line is a timely reminder in these doom-laden days!
Thanks Keith! I like to think our Pascal is thinking more selfishly, and is driven by a more personal hope, as well as his hope to help humanity survive all this.
Nice to have a note of optimism in all this grimness.
It is quite paralyzing to live in fear. (See my last post/poem for my description of that state of being.) But perhaps we’ll have a better chance than those who faced similar challenges with no information.
It’s good to see someone’s working on the problem!
I expect there are thousands of Pascals around the world working on a solution. But for now its up to us to be responsible.
Wonderful association you have made, Andrea! This Corona Virus has taken over everything. Let us hope they find a way to nip it before it reaches horrible levels
This photo challenge works something like a weekly Rorschach test, doesn’t it? Plumbing the depths of what we feel in association with what we see. Thanks Dale! I hope we all rise to the occasion.
Absolutely!
If only it were so simple for Covid-19, but you are right – we need everyone to do their own little bit to keep us all safe.
If only. Thanks Iain!
What a clever connnectiojn between the prompt photo and the current pandemic
Thank you Neil. It was the first thing that came to mind. 😬