Interview #6: Bob Markus III, Sixth-Grade Baseball Player

I interviewed Bob on March 16, 2023.

Introduction

“Hi, what’s your name?”

“Bob Markus III.”

“Welcome, Bob! How old are you?”

“I’m eleven, almost twelve, and I’m in sixth grade.”

“How old were you during the pandemic in 2020?”

“I was eight years old.”

“Do you have any pets?”

“Yes, I have a big, chubby dog named Toby.”

“Did Toby provide emotional support during the pandemic?”

“Yes, he kept me company when I was bored. I would pet him and sleep with him.”

COVID-19 at Home

“Did you know anyone who contracted COVID-19?”

“I think I had it twice. I lost my sense of smell and taste, but when they returned, everything tasted different. The second time, I only lost my sense of smell.”

“Did you understand what the virus was back then?”

“No, I thought it was just a regular cold.”

“Was it strange to lose your sense of smell?”

“Yeah, it was weird since I had never experienced that before.”

“How long did it last?”

“About one or two weeks.”

“You mentioned losing your sense of smell and taste. Did that affect your appetite?”

“No, I still had my appetite. But when I got my senses back, I felt like I could smell everything better.”

“I knew some people who lost their taste and didn’t want to eat.”

“That’s interesting.”

“What kinds of food did you eat while feeling sick?”

“I had hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage, pasta—all the usual things. But it felt odd without smell or taste.”

“Did you ever experience headaches?”

“I occasionally had really bad headaches, which I hated. I also disliked having a stuffy nose and a cough.”

“Glad to hear you’re healthy now. Did anyone else in your family get sick?”

“Yes, all three of us got it. My mom caught it after me, and she lost her taste and smell. Then my dad got it too; he thought he had strep throat because his throat was hurting so badly.”

“So, it was like you were all ‘The Three Musketeers’ unable to smell or taste?”

“Yeah.”

“After having the virus, were you anxious about getting it again?”

“Not really. I didn’t think much of it after I recovered. But once people started saying it could be deadly, I thought, ‘This isn’t good.’ I didn’t realize it could take away my senses.”

“My parents and I weren’t as scared as others since we didn’t think it would kill us.”

Public School and Friends

“How did your friends at school fare? Did any of them get sick?”

“Some said they had it. Our school ended up closing because of COVID.”

“What did your teacher tell you about the pandemic?”

“We were told to wear masks the day before the school closed, but we didn’t know why. The next day, they announced it would be our last day, and we had a school party before leaving.”

“It’s nice to hear you had a party, as others I interviewed didn’t get that farewell.”

“Yeah, it was tough for them.”

“How did your friends feel about the school closure?”

“They were sad because we couldn’t be together.”

“How did you stay connected?”

“We mostly used Zoom or played video games together.”

“What games did you enjoy?”

“Fortnite and NBA 2K were our favorites.”

Virtual Tutoring

“Did you have any tutoring during the pandemic?”

“Yes.”

“Can you share your tutoring experience?”

“My parents wanted me to excel, so they found a tutor. If I understood a subject well, the tutor would show me different and simpler ways to learn.”

“Did you find the sessions helpful?”

“Yeah, we had a lot of fun.”

This concludes Part 1 of 2.

If you missed Part 2, click the link below.