July 5, 2021, fully vaccinated

Microscopic creatures swam in a flowing stream of yellow and red fluids. Erythrocytes rushed by in a hurry to spread nutrients to cells in the furthest parts of the system. The nanites darted throughout the pathways. In a sudden union, they joined with the leukocytes to seek and destroy any invading force.

But they were getting weaker. 

The nanites were injected into the vascular system weeks before. They needed reinforcements. Like a military insurrection, the microscopic bots and white blood cells joined together to seek and destroy. But they were weak, vulnerable to the delta force.

The heat in the air held on with relentless power. My body burned and I turned over and pried open my eyes. My mind pushed back against the invasion of my senses. 

Nanites? Erythrocytes? What kind of crazy dream was I having? It was time to go downstairs and put on the coffee. My dreams must have been the result of a week in the sun. Ten and twelve-hour days can do that to me, even if it is doing something I love. 

The sweltering air of the morning was bearable as I rolled slowly out of bed. That’s when I remembered the real reason for my crazy dream.

I was scheduled for my second jab.

I was going to get my vaccine booster and my kid was coming for her first dose. The text came in on Saturday and I tried to sign up online. But the calendar didn’t show any availability. So I called the number on the website and got through fairly quickly. I found it interesting that when I really need information from the government it is an hour-long wait on hold… For the vaccine – not so much. I asked for a date and they offered me the coming Monday. Wow that was quick, I asked for Tuesday, and from the sounds of things they had lots of availability. 

So I decided to ask the lady on the other end of the line if they could register my daughter while I was on the phone with her. She said sure, ten minutes later we were registered for 8:30 and 8:35 Tuesday morning. 

Tuesday morning I woke up to strange dreams of microscopic beings flowing through my veins. I resigned myself to the idea that I was part of the solution. I wanted to see the end of the pandemic as soon as possible  Being fully vaccinate and having my kid halfway there felt like a way to escape the confinement of the last fifteen months. 

The parking lot was three-quarters full when we pulled in at 8:30 am on the nose. It felt eerie as we walked past all the cars. Yet there was no one in line and we walked right in. Getting the jab was a simple process. My daughter was afraid of the shot and didn’t want to get it. I think she has heard a lot of the negative attitudes toward the vaccine and she expressed her doubts. Until I told her no vaccine, no Mexico…

The doctor that poked us with our nanite treatments was very friendly. He was retired from his practice but offered to help distribute the shot to us willing guinea pigs. I am confident that we made the right choice… mostly.

We sat together with the doctor and he was done with me quite quickly. He turned to my daughter as I explained about the microscopic robots that were now exploring my cardiovascular system. He chuckled and asked me to stop my ramblings so he could poke my daughter’s arm with more nanites. My daughter laughed nervously as she grabbed my hand tight. I told her the tiny robots were only there to help. They would join with white blood cells known as leukocytes. They would traverse the body along with red blood cells called Erythrocytes.

At that moment the doctor laughed and thanked me for lightening his day.

I’m not sure what was in those two jabs of the vaccine. The rest of the people sitting in the hall waiting for the nanites to activate their white blood cells didn’t know what was in the mass injection either. 

As the days, weeks, and months progress we will see what happens to all of us that got the jab. I am fully vaccinated and look forward to returning to a freedom that has been lost for the fast fifteen months.  

It all ended with a second jab… I hope.