Sir, – The concept of social distancing has become part of our world and rightly so. It’s critically important to save lives. It is difficult for us as we are so used to being physically close to friends and family and even strangers.
A distant memory of going to Mass in a small country church in the 1970s came to mind today. Each pew was made for about 12 souls, but by the gospel 15 or more had packed in. If you were unlucky to be at the end of the row, inches from the boiling-hot radiator at the wall, you could only pray for survival.
Another memory of squeezing was of hitchhiking. A VW Beetle stopped for me. Out got the front passenger and into the back I climbed, only to find a large woman, a child, a small headstone and a shovel. They kindly brought me about 10 miles down the road. – Yours, etc,
MARY BARRETT,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.