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The Bug
I have been married to a self-described paranoid for more than twenty years. While I cherish her more than words can convey, our conversations often reveal the tension between her instinctive caution and my tendency to poke holes in even the most well-intentioned arguments. That’s what happens when a schoolteacher steeped in English literature and an instructional systems designer — a left-leaning pragmatist — share a life together. Debate becomes part of the marriage contract, and in many ways, those debates mirror the larger political polarization in the United States.
Some of our deepest discussions have unfolded late at night, often after an adult beverage. Years ago, Suzanne told me, “I believe it’s going to take something universal, something world-wide, to get people to finally cooperate with each other — almost like an alien invasion.” I laughed, imagining a Doctor Who Christmas special where London faces mortal peril and David Tennant or Matt Smith swoop in to save the day. Yet I tucked her thesis away in the back of my mind, praying against the moment when life might imitate art.
That moment arrived in early 2020. We had planned to attend a fan convention in London, packing our suitcases with cosplay jackets, business materials, and winter clothes. Minutes before leaving for the airport, Suzanne read an email announcing the convention’s cancellation. We suddenly found ourselves with plane…
