Loving the liberation of a convertible, cutting through the wind in my beloved S2000… Who could have imagined that the daily life of such a “strong-willed man” would collapse so miserably and pathetically due to a single virus?
Let me get straight to the point. I was defeated. The smile I had while returning “YAEH!!” waves to oncoming cars vanished, and for several days, I was strapped into a “bucket seat” known as my home toilet.
■ I underestimated the “Fastest Assassin” named Noro
Honestly, I underestimated Norovirus. I thought, “It’s just an upset stomach, right? I’ll recover in no time.” But reality is ruthless. From onset to full recovery, it took six whole days. I was out of the frontline at work for three days as well.
I, whose only merit is usually a healthy body, realized this while staring up at my ceiling: “Ah, so this is what it means to be truly sick.” An unidentified “thin brown liquid” flowing endlessly from both above and below. My internal systems had fallen out of control, like an overheated radiator.
■ A lonely endurance race called “In-house Separation”
Immediately after the onset, the order handed down by my wife was cold and absolute.
“Do not take a single step out of your room.”
My range of movement was limited to my room and the toilet. That’s it. A literal closed course. From outside the room, I could hear the happy laughter of my children. However, I had neither the energy to respond nor the right to leave the room.
Separate laundry. Zero contact during meals. Despite living under the same roof, I was quarantined as a “different family.” Every time I heard the children’s voices, I thought in the confines of the toilet: “What a waste of time this is…”
■ Seeking the “High-Grade Oil” known as OS-1
My partner in this endurance race was only Pocari Sweat. Logically, it’s obvious that “OS-1” is the strongest rehydration fluid (oil) to prevent dehydration. But unfortunately, there was no stock at home.
And to me in isolation, my wife said: “I’m not going out to buy it.” …Despair. I had no choice but to keep sipping Pocari Sweat and wait for the “brown water” in my gut to run dry.
■ March 8, 10:00 AM: The checkered flag is finally waved
Change finally arrived around 10:00 AM on March 8th. At last, that cursed brown water stopped flowing. It was the moment the six-day lonely dead heat finally came to an end.
What did I gain from this life of battling illness? It was a “4kg weight loss.” In S2000 terms, it’s like a minor parts diet. They say lightening the driver themselves is the most cost-effective mod on the circuit. …I try to act tough like that, but inside, I’m a wreck.
■ Next Mission: Battery Replacement
Having finished the worst pit-in called Noro, I am finally back. The next challenge is the battery replacement for the S2000. Actually, there were suspicious signs during the last drive, so it must be changed.
To be honest, I’m not good at maintenance. In fact, I’m quite inexperienced. But compared to the hell of Noro, carrying a heavy battery should be as easy as VTEC acceleration… or so I’d like to believe.
I intend to whip my post-illness body and work hard. While savoring the joy of gripping a ratchet wrench instead of a toilet lever.
Farewell, Noro. I have no intention of ever inviting you to my cockpit (toilet seat) again.
関連投稿:
[Tragedy] The Fate of a Man Who Tried to Dye His S2000 Soft Top “Espresso Brown.” What is the “Blood Lesson” Gained After Throwing 20,000 Yen and a Day into the Gutter?
S2000 Battery Upgrade: My Lonely Battle Against the “Ghost of 2021” in a Silent Midnight Garage
[The Ultimate Choice] Turning a 25-Year-Old Veteran into “Modern Perfection.” The 3 Holy Grails I Found After Years of Splurging.
[My Will] The 25-Year Rule Was Only the “Beginning of the End.” As a Man Ready to Go Down with My S2000, I Logically Explain the Next “35-Year Wall.”
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