Our world has not experienced anything like this before. COVID-19 has taken over the news stations and sweeps across the minds of people worldwide. With the increasing numbers of cases and the dateline of social distancing keeps being postponed, it’s no shock that millions of people are worried, scared, and most importantly, eager for answers.

With everyone quarantined in their own homes, and the unemployment rate skyrocketing faster than any of us have ever seen, all we can do is stay home and keep distance in order to help the essential workers continue to thrive and survive in this dire time.

Scott Gesicki, a fifty-four-year old Crystal Lake resident has experienced his fair share of fears, boredom, and roller coaster of emotions. Gesicki has worked at his work, A.H. company, a vending machine distributing company, since 1988. Over the thirty-two-year commitment to being a vending machine salesman and catering expert, Gesicki has joined millions of others who have been laid off as a result of the virus.

Scott finds himself waking up each day eager to find some home project to keep him busy for the day, while we all pray and wish for the essential workers to remain safe and healthy. Our house has never looked so clean and fixed up! This quarantine has turned the Gesicki family into DIY experts, with renovating our neighbor’s kitchen at the beginning of the quarantine, and working on the garden in our spare time.

Gesicki is quarantined with his wife of thirty years, Diane Gesicki, his youngest daughter, yours truly, and our two dogs and cat. Gesicki’s idea of social distancing is shouting toward his neighbor and best friend, Tom Triechler, while they catch up and drink beers on their own driveways.

Scott’s favorite activities were to play golf on the weekends, play bags in the nice weather, and head over to his favorite local bars and restaurants with his friends and family. With the restrictions and shutdowns of nonessential businesses and places, his favorite pastime activities are not within his reach.

But quarantine has called for his wife and daughter to play board and card games together to keep the family game nights going, along with movie nights though Scott can’t always stay awake for the whole movie. Home-cooked meals have also been created to make the time go by, with homemade Japanese dishes, such as stir fry, along with authentic Italian pasta dishes. Dinner time is by far our family’s favorite time of the day. Gesicki plans his days around what recipe he wants to try and master that day, and tries to impress his picky family with a new exciting meal, since we were all tired of eating mac and cheese and hotdogs.

“We are all making the best of it,” Gesicki says.

Scott is hopeful for our community and world to come together to fight against Coronavirus, and for all of us to return to our “normal” lives, the ones we took for granted before all of this.

While this quarantine might not be what anyone expected or wanted, a positive aspect is it has brought families closer together and allowed some quality time that our busy lives never seemed to have time for before.  Here are some of Scott’s answers about the situation.

Q: What are your thoughts on what our community and nation are doing to stop the spread of the virus?

A: I am comfortable with the decisions made on a federal and state/local level.

Q: What are you doing to cope with all of this free time you have?

A: Since I have been on furlough from my employer this past, and this week, I have supported my wife in efforts to improve the quality of our home, and this leads me to extra time outside to work on the front and backyard and trying to entertain ourselves.

Q: What are your biggest fears that have come from COVID-19?

A: None of our immediate family members nor friends become a victim of a positive test.

Q: What are some precautions you have taken to keep you and others safe?

A:  Social distancing, sanitizing regularly, daily updates through the media, and drinking beer.

Q: How much has COVID-19 affected you personally?

A:  I’ve gained six pounds (so far), I’m trying to remain positive with the unemployment and the uncertainty in this situation. I have no economic relief and neither does your mother.

Q: What are your predictions for the future (if COVID-19 is handled and over with)?

A:  I don’t think it’ll ever be over with. My prediction it’ll come back in the fall and from experiences, will lead us to, get in front of and receive vaccinations for this pandemic. Life will never be the same, I’m assuming it’ll be like the yearly flu from now on out.

Q: Any words of inspiration or something you’d like to say to others in similar situations like you?

A: Try to remain positive. This is affecting all of us, not just our own community.