Late last night, I was chatting with a long-time friend via messenger. We lost contact ages ago but glad we got reconnected again when all these COVID-19 happened. She is a Filipina who is working at Wuhan, China, the "epicenter" of the pandemic. I didn't want to believe her at first, thinking that she was just pranking me. But when she sent pictures as proof of where she currently is,it convinced me that, yes, she is in the middle of all these. She really is in Wuhan.
Learning it, I immediately asked how was she, and she was glad to say she was okay. I had lots of questions, anxious for her safety but she was that cool. She said there is nothing to worry since they are on a lockdown. How cool could that be?
Like she wasn't allowed to go outside, and only her employers go out once a week to get supplies. That's alright with her even if it means no more day-off and meeting with her fellow pinays. No more going to the mall to destress herself from a weeklong work. No more gallivanting and just about whatever. But she's cool with it.
She and everyone else in her community was cool with it. It is a temporary thing anyway. Right. Cool.
All the stores were closed, no vehicles, no crowd. No money, economy gone down. Ghost town. But she's cool with it.
But she said that the government was so efficient in giving their basic necessities. That is cool.
She said they trusted whatever the government tells them to do, knowing that it is for everyone's benefit. No issues, no arguements with the authorities, no questions, no rallies or whatever. Just plain and simple obedience. Cool.
Then in the middle of our conversation she can't help but laugh at the panic buying that happened, or still is happening in our country. Those empty shelves at the supermarket, the long lines, the big full carts, the crowded consumers. "What was all that?", she asked. And answered it herself in one word --- "greediness?" Not cool.
Then she said how seriously serious this pandemic is and there is no way to contain it unless we stay apart.
She said she have seen how easily it could be spread, and we here in the Philippines still do not believe that...because we have not seen it. (Though i guess it already is "slowly" happening.) She said that maybe when the cases would skyrocket, hoping not, maybe that would be the only time we would obey and take the quarantine seriously.
In the end, my mind changed. Let's be cool with the quarantine.
I am glad to be connected with these amazing Steemians: 
