It is Memorial Day 2020, the day after the NYT printed their spread featuring those Americans who died of COVID-19. Setting aside all the questions of what the count of nearly 100,000 American deaths represent (Do they count the undocumented immigrants who undoubtedly are disproportionately affected by the pandemic? Or permanent residents who are not strictly defined as American? Does it count all the deaths that never got confirmed because of the shortage of tests?) the effect is somber.
I grew up with easy access to beaches and the shore, and our family loves seafood, so summer has always been associated with sand, water, sun, and food. As I set up this still life with the debris from at home seafood feasts, I can't help but wonder if my pretend sand and pretend sea are all I'll get this summer.