From KCRW, I'm Bob Carlson, and this is unfictional.

We all have close friends who we haven't seen now for years because of everything that's been going on.

And I feel a little bit like that right now. years because of everything that's been going on.

And I feel a little bit like that right now.

It's been a while since we last spoke, and so much has happened for everyone, everywhere.

So maybe to catch you up on what's been going on with me, I'll show you this video from my phone.

It's from March 8th, 2020. my son Matthew in his sixth grade middle school orchestra.

Matthew is sitting on a chair on the sidewalk playing his cello, right next to many of his classmates,

alongside Sepulveda Boulevard in West Los Angeles and runners from the

Los Angeles marathon run by.

As it happens, this was the last time this version of the school orchestra ever played together in the same place.

Just a day or two after I filmed this video,

we heard that Matthew's classes would now be conducted at home, at least for the time being, they said,

that Matthew spent the rest of sixth grade classes and all of seventh grade online.

I remember when we first went online, I was excited for it. I was like, oh, stress-free

assignments. It'll be much more chill. I just get to stay at home. And then by the end of seventh grade, I was just begging to stay at home and then by the end of seventh grade I was just begging to go back in person.

Oh wait, there's a little shortcut here.

Oh, no. You already just covered a shortcut?

Ah!

We just did the exact same thing.

Well, I was trying to use a mushroom to get away from that red shell.

During those long months that we spent around the house, we played Mario Kart, we ate the

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