What follows are the first four entries in the Journal. I have added some clarifying details in italics, but will attempt to avoid writing too much of my own information.
November 9th
Something feels wrong.
All the news has been talking about today has been the South American Disease. Whatever that is. Some sort of outbreak of rabies or flu, something that has the people going crazy. But instead of making a big deal out of it… they're acting like its nothing to be worried about.
How can they be talking about a possible global pandemic without making it the focus of the evening's broadcast? It must be some sort of ratings thing. I've never heard of any disease from South America, let alone something that could be some sort of global threat. I find it hard to believe… I remember Mad Cow Disease… whatever happened with that? This is probably something to do with the World Cup.
But something is different, something has changed from the last "global threat" and the one before that. I think its the reporter's voices. Something about them, their tone has changed.
They keep mentioning it without giving any details, they're talking more about World Cup festivities…
An epidemic of people attacking other people should be the number one news story, but they're telling us all about crop shortages in California and floods in Cameroon and the fifth day of the soccer tournament…
Leslie has been calling every couple hours… she seems pretty panicked. Allan is just ignoring it.
My doctor tells me to keep a journal and I spend day one writing about what TV I watched… I'm not very good at this.
November 10th
It's pouring today. I woke up when the garbage truck backed into the wall outside my apartment. Of course the one day of the week I don't have to work is the day I get to hear three angry, fat South Philadelphians yelling at each other right outside my window. Joy upon joys.
I had about fifteen voicemails from Leslie… I've stopped listening to them.
I really don't know what I should be writing about here. Dr. Cooper will probably say I'm doing it wrong when I see him next week.
No reports from South America today. Even the World Cup went unmentioned.
At 11:52 on November 9th, the former government of the United States of America began shutting down the southern border. National Guard were sent to reinforce the line and all entry was barred into the United States, citizens included.