Thank you, Essex County

Today, I went to the Livingston vaccination site (the Sears store in the Livingston Mall and shown below), where I received my second dose of the Moderna vaccine. Four weeks ago, I received my first shot at the West Orange location. Both sites were extremely efficient.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/process-for-covid-19-vaccination-is-streamlined-in-populous-essex-county-n-j-11610977781

I want to acknowledge, congratulate and thank all those invovled -

Joe D, Phil Alagia, Chris Durkin and, especially, Dr. Maya Lordo.

I want to thank those volunteers (including my two sisters, Michele and Annie and two of their daughters, Betsy and Jenny).

Finally, a personal thanks to Essie Greenberg, the nurse who vaccinated me today. Essie is married to a front-line physician, Marty, who, like me and a few other private practitioners, showed up to Barnabas every day in March and April.

In May, I was frustrated by the lack of involvement of so many in this fight, this war.

Today, I was glad see America, at least Essex County, remember who we are and how we got here.

We Jerseyans make fun of our own state, don't teach NJ's history in grammar school like VA, don't brag about our state.

But we all love to go down to the Shore in the summer.

We all root for Prep kids who make it to the majors.

The only Cape I have been to is Cape May.

Being proudful or boastful? That's stuff we make fun of. Our parents, by example, taught us that pride wasn't something you talked about, celebrated or acknowledged.

But this is an exception -

Take a bow, Essex County, you deserve it.

Back to me -

Personally, I wasn't too concerned about getting Covid before I got the vaccine, but I was taking HCQ. I mean you can't treat as many Covid pts as I and blah-blah-blah.

But STILL, even I, braver than brave Horatius, was absolutely thrilled to get my second dose. (FYI - I stopped taking HCQ after the first dose, because, you know, I read a lot and knew that I would be protected very quickly from the first vaccine.)

Now - after my second vaccine dose -

I want to know if I can get a "V" sticker so I can stop wearing these ridiculous masks. I'll even get a "V" tatoo on my forehead if that means I don't have to wear a mask.

I want to go to a Mets game, maskless and couthless, and chant "Let's Go Home", I mean "Mets". Maybe Marty will buy the entire section a beer.

I want to go to Jersey Mike's and not have everyone look at me like I'm their enemy when I take off my mask to sip my extra-large diet Coke/root beer/cream soda combo.

I want to hug friends and loved ones, like all us of Mediterranean descent do when they greet someone. (BTW, I think guys hugging and kissing each other still freaks out some of the northern European descendants)

I want to go to Tierney's and have a beer and a burger...come to think of it, that's not a great example, because I always want to do that.

I want to go to the Gags' basement and mosh amongst the next generation, and;

Finally,

I want to go to the porch...

Congratulations Essex County and Thank You,

Stephen "I've been vaccinated twice!" Smith, M.D.