My husband is a very smart man. He got grants to go to graduate school. He reads and watches the news. He knows what is going on. He is not an anti-masker. He is a Covid-19 risk-taker.
He buys vintage cars. He and his friend work close together in our garage, rebuilding them to sell.
Race car driving is another one of his pastimes. He loves speeding along the track in his black Monte Carlo, wearing a helmet with a face shield and a fire suit, pretending he is a NASCAR driver.
Like a lot of people, his macho friends who are at the track and in the garage with him don't think masks are necessary.
We bought a recreational vehicle. I cleaned and sanitized this little home on wheels. I was excited about our planned day trip to a beach about two-hours away. Other than Heubeck, Home Depot, and a couple other stores, we haven't travelled from our ranch in Texas since the pandemic began.
The plan to go to Corpus Christi ended fast when my husband told me three of his friends would be joining us. Two of them have girlfriends and wives who have or had Covid 19. "Are you crazy," I screamed? "They could be spreaders, and we could die.
"You can keep that RV as your play toy. I'm not getting into it. You can clean it too. And, since you insist on allowing these friends around you, you can move your belongings into the guest bedroom."
Mumbling to himself, he resentfully stuffed his clothes and hygiene products into a duffel bag and lugged it upstairs like a little boy being put in the corner of the classroom.
I can't understand why he doesn't understand this novel virus is very contagious and that he's jeopardizing our health. We both have comorbidities. I have high blood pressure and asthma. He has a stent in his heart and diabetes. What would you suggest I do to protect us?
Debbie
Dear Debbie,
If your husband continues his perilous behavior in the garage, on the race track, and in the RV, I think both of you should get tested for Covid 19.
Then you should quarantine separately until the results come back. Stay in the house, and ask him to move into the RV. You can put his food outside of it.
If he stops associating with his friends, and you both test negative after quarantining, I would invite him back into the house and bedroom. After the brief separation, you could create a dating ambience by putting candles on the dinner table and playing his favorite music in the background.
He can stay in touch with his friends by phone, gmail, and zoom.
If he doesn't give up his risk-taking behavior of prolonged contact with anti-maskers, leave him in the RV until both of you are vaccinated and his friends start wearing masks.
Alice on Advice
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