Garbageman's Coronavirus Message to America Is Spreading Like Wildfire
His Twitter handle is Jester D. All he shares about himself with the Twittersphere is that he hails from California.
His Twitter biography describes himself as “just a fool juggling random thoughts to entertain the masses.”
Then came Saturday, when Jester D sent a message about the coronavirus crisis that, from the thousands of retweets and hundreds of thousands of likes, Twitter users needed to read.
“I’m a garbageman, I can’t work from home and my job is an essential city service that must get done. It’s a tough job, from getting up pre-dawn to the physical toll it takes on my body to the monotonous nature of the job, at times it’s hard to keep on going,” he began in a multi-tweet message.
I’m a garbageman, I can’t work from home and my job is an essential city service that must get done. It’s a tough job, from getting up pre-dawn to the physical toll it takes on my body to the monotonous nature of the job, at times it’s hard to keep on going.
Thread 1/3— Jester D (@JustMeTurtle) March 14, 2020
“Right now though, right now I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work. I see the people, my people, of my city, peeking out their windows at me. They’re scared, we’re scared. Scared but resilient,” he wrote.
“Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering. It’s gonna be ok, we’re gonna make it be ok. I love my city. I love my country. I love my planet Earth. Be good to each other and we’ll get through this,” he wrote.
Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering. It’s gonna be ok, we’re gonna make it be ok. I love my city. I love my country. I love my planet Earth. Be good to each other and we’ll get through this. ?
— Jester D (@JustMeTurtle) March 14, 2020
After the tweets vent viral, he added one other comment.
“Wow you guys I don’t even know what to do with a viral tweet. I have nothing to promote and if I did, I wouldn’t do it on this tweet. My heart is filled to bursting with this response to my words, I’m just a dude with a phone and a little spare time. Thank you,” he tweeted.
Wow you guys I don’t even know what to do with a viral tweet. I have nothing to promote and if I did, I wouldn’t do it on this tweet.
My heart is filled to bursting with this response to my words, I’m just a dude with a phone and a little spare time.
Thank you ???— Jester D (@JustMeTurtle) March 15, 2020
Reactions to the tweet — amid a crisis affecting the entire country — covered the gamut of emotions.
Worked from home last week and every single day thought about you guys and about those in the electricity, water, wastewater, and IT industries that keep civilization going. You’re so important to public health. Thank you! And thank you to everyone working in utilities. pic.twitter.com/8eSiDowHVc
— edge case (@newusadream) March 14, 2020
Very sweet thread. I hope one result of this mess is our culture shifting to deeply value, respect, and fairly compensate the folks who clean our spaces, cook and serve food, and provide essential services like these. https://t.co/Kz0dvJSoYK
— Flannery Winchester (@flannerykw) March 15, 2020
What a inspirational message you are sending to all of us. I manage Waste Collection for @cityofdayton in Ohio and our team of about 100 #daytonstrong have the same positive attitude. Your words- PRIDE and PURPOSE sum it up perfectly. You are an amazing human being! #resilient
— John Parker (@johnparkermpa) March 15, 2020
Fortunately, spirit like Jester D’s — and his message about priorities — is popping up many places.
As Britain’s Liverpool Football Club saw its season wiped away by the virus, manager Jurgen Klopp offered a message to remind fans what was really important.
“First and foremost, all of us have to do whatever we can to protect one another. In society I mean. This should be the case all the time in life, but in this moment I think it matters more than ever,” he said. “I’ve said before that football always seems the most important of the least important things. Today, football and football matches really aren’t important at all.
“The message from the team to our supporters is only about your well-being. Put your health first. Don’t take any risk. Think about the vulnerable in our society and act where possible with compassion for them,” he said. “Please look after yourselves and look out for each other.”
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