Patrick Murphy Oral History, 2020/10/13

Patrick Murphy, a delivery driver for a large online retail company, provides his thoughts and opinions on the Covid 19 Pandemic. Being a deliver driver he gives insight into how his job and the world he moves through has changed. Being twenty one years old Patrick discusses how the internet and social media has shaped his experience during the pandemic.

10/13/2020

David Fiora

Patrick Murphy

David Fiora

HIST3158

University of Cincinnati

Dr. Rebecca Wingo

Oral History

English Emotion

English Home & Family Life

English Pandemic Skeptics

English Recreation & Leisure

controlling

fearful

dying

unemployed

polarizing

opinion

divide

gamer

Cincinnati

Corona

young adult

male

Ohio

delivery

Service Industry

Unemployment

From 03/2020 until 11/2022 we redacted information revealing covid and vaccination status of those other than the contributor but discontinued that practice on 11/14/2022. This note was bulk added to any item with the word "redacted" or "redact" in curatorial notes, so may not apply to all on which it appears. Erin Craft 12/29/2022

10/27/2020

03/26/2021

03/28/2021

04/11/2021

06/10/2022

12/29/2022

10/13/2020

David Fiora

Patrick Murphy

45244

Newton

Ohio

United States of America

Audio

English

00:22:54

Patrick Murphy, a delivery driver for a large online retail company, provides his thoughts and opinions on the Covid 19 Pandemic. Being a deliver driver he gives insight into how his job and the world he moves through has changed. Being twenty one years old Patrick discusses how the internet and social media has shaped his experience during the pandemic.

David Fiora 00:01
Hello, my name is David Fiora. I'm a student with the University of Cincinnati, and Today is October 13, 2020. We are in Cincinnati, Ohio. And I am conducting this interview as a part of the COVID-19 Oral History Project. And today I am interviewing
Patrick Murphy 00:30
Patrick Murphy
David Fiora 00:34
Where do you live?
Patrick Murphy 00:36
Newtown, Pecos Drive to be more specific.
David Fiora 00:39
What was it like to live there?
Patrick Murphy 00:43
I don't know. Easy, like compared to other like cities. I'm an Amazon driver so I can see all the ups and downs. So, I suppose my neighborhood is nothing really big happens in it.
David Fiora 00:59
Has COVID-19 affected your job?


Patrick Murphy 01:03
A little bit. I think we don't really have to talk to the customer that much. There's no signing for anything. It's just, “give me your first name.” All right?
David Fiora 01:20
Has the pandemic changed your employment status?
Patrick Murphy 01:25
No. Well, I was unemployed for like six months before or when COVID happened. So, I just used COVID as an excuse to not work and then I finally got a job.
David Fiora 01:41
So, when you first learned of COVID-19 what were your thoughts about it?
Patrick Murphy 01:48
Well, it's scary, like a black plague of our time, it's not necessarily as destructive or more just I guess watered down as some would say.
David Fiora 02:02
How have your thoughts about the disease changed over these months since the start of the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 02:11
Well first I was absolutely fearful of it and if any of it me or running my family members got it we just die. But after my [redacted], who has diabetes and all sorts of health problems, got it and then overcame it and has been my [redacted] who has had like two heart attacks in the course of like five years, I guess I wasn't as fearful of it. Since getting a job I don't really think about it that much. I sanitize my hands and wear my mask but it's not something like Oh, you're you're fine, like within three feet of me. Can you please back off?
David Fiora 02:57
So, would you say was there a specific moment that you realized this was like a really big deal? The Coronavirus that is a big deal.
Patrick Murphy 03:11
I just want like people started dying like some of them. I play video games a lot so like when a few people that did like voice acting for them died it hurt, like it's it's serious people are dying from it. It's not something that should be taken lightly. Isn't the beginning of it.

David Fiora 03:42
Has the Covid 19 pandemic affected the employment of people you know?
Patrick Murphy 03:48
Um, yeah, my, my one Aunt is a daycare uh, whatever the official term is for a person who runs a daycare or is a part of it, so she kind of lost her job. I'm sure a few other family members either have lost their jobs or can't really do the things they could have done before COVID. For example, my mom she used to work in an office as an accountant now she works at home until the COVID-19 there's a vaccine for it.
David Fiora 04:29
What concerns do you have about the effects of COVID-19 on the economy more broadly?
Patrick Murphy 04:39
Like how's it gonna affect like?
David Fiora 04:41
Do you have any concern about how the economy and businesses are being affected, affected by the Covid 19 pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 04:57
I mean, like I think it's gonna affect like the major businesses like transporting and like hospitals and stuff like that. I don't think it's going to. I assume that like small businesses and like restaurants are going to be affected by it the most. Because they they won't have like, procedures or fancy things like that.
David Fiora 05:22
Yeah. How is COVID-19 affected you and your family's day to day activities?
Patrick Murphy 05:33
All at the start since I was an introvert, I didn't really go out much. I'd just sit at my computer all day. So it didn't really affect me. My dad does deliveries for Pepsi, so I'm sure he has the I guess, wash his hands or sanitize his hands after every delivery and wear a mask obviously, I think going out to eat was kind of on a halt for a while, the first three months. Then after that we just like the first restaurant I went to was like Skyline. And there was like, I don't know three people there.
David Fiora 06:18
Has, has the Covid 19 outbreak affected how you associate and communicate with your friends and family?

Patrick Murphy 06:27
Not really. I mean, like most of my friends are online, I play video games with people. Physical friends, as I call them. I just hang out with them one by one. I don't really go to like any mass gatherings or whot nannies.
David Fiora 06:45
So, you would say your day to day activities haven't changed very much?
Patrick Murphy 06:50
No, if anything just slightly.
David Fiora 06:59
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced during the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 07:05
Getting a job. Even that was easy, after constant badgering by my father to get one I actually got one and it was a goldmine, I think people would look at my job, would probably be envious of what I could do and how much I get paid. How easy it is in general.
David Fiora 07:35
What have you, your family and friends done for recreation during the Covid 19 pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 07:45
Just go out to eat like once a week, and even then its very cautious of that. A few of my friends have just been staying indoors and playing video games for the most part or watching movies or television shows. Going outside
David Fiora 08:04
You see a change it all or.
Patrick Murphy 08:07
Um, I'm sure a few people have stopped going to restaurants as much and can't really like go to parties anymore. Or mass gatherings as one would say.
David Fiora 08:28
How has the outbreak affected the community, the communities that you associate with, your social communities?

Patrick Murphy0 8:41
Like my group of friends are just like the place I live in?
David Fiora 08:44
Whoever you associate with really, whatever. Whatever groups.
Patrick Murphy 08:50
I associate myself as a gamer, so it doesn't really affected me or my community at all. We've just been staying indoors and talking to each other over the internet.
David Fiora 09:07
How are the people around you responding to the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 09:12
Oh, man. Oh, my um, yeah, my, my one uncle. His brother was like a real big, I don't wanna say anti mask masker, but he was like, he posted on Facebook, he was saying like, “Oh, I don't know why people wear their mask in their car and blah blah blah.” And my uncle posted something on Facebook about like, yeah, the head doctor is like in charge of the research for it. Like a bobblehead format. And his brother thought like he was attacking him. So, my uncle is not on terms with his brother right now. My um, my father's two sisters. Or it's just the one I don't know, don't believe in wearing a mask. And I don't think they take it seriously. Then again I haven't really talked to him because of social distancing and such.
David Fiora 10:05
Have you seen the people around you change their opinions?
Patrick Murphy 10:11
Um not really no. Anything that my parents have kept to their belief that it's, we should just take it with caution can't really like not wear a mask when you're going to a restaurant or not wash your hands or sanitize them.
David Fiora 10:36
So, some of the bigger themes of the pandemic and public health in trying to stop the Coronavirus has been self-isolation and flattening the curve. How have you and your family and the community responded to these requests?
Patrick Murphy 11:00
Well, I went from looking like a leech to society that look like a hero out going outside. My dad is a delivery driver can't really like prevent himself from going to see other people. But that's mostly in like indoors and such on my mother's account from home, so she's not really going out and shaking hands with the public.
David Fiora 11:26
You mentioned your family and how certain individuals relationships have changed. Has COVID-19 changed your relationship with family? or friends?
Patrick Murphy 11:42
No, if I want to see my friends, I'll chat them up, see if they want to hang out. But I'm not. I don't have like a group of friends that like a like tem people, ten or, like seven people I need to hang out with. It's usually just one on one or two.
David Fiora 12:04
Has it changed your relationship with any extended family?
Patrick Murphy 12:10
Not really No. Well, I think it's better to be away from certain people.
David Fiora 12:19
Right. Have you or anybody you known, gotten sick from COVID-19.
Patrick Murphy 12:31
Well, like I said, my, my [redacted] who has diabetes and like, just a plethora of health problems at COVID. And I know my family was freaking out and getting troubled by that. But they he overcame it and went to work the next day. And my one [redacted], excuse me, who had like two heart attacks, from smoking and eating Popeye's every day. Also had COVID. But from his description of it sound like the worst thing and sound like the flu. Except he can't really breathe.
David Fiora 13:17
In what ways, Do you think that COVID-19 is affecting people's mental health?
Patrick Murphy 13:25
Well, there's two sides of that. It's like the people who are overcautious, and the people who don't really care about it, and the people who are over cautious, they'll act like Hall monitors. My one aunt is like that. She's like, “Oh, you you're not wearing your mask? Where the hell is it?” There's the people who they'll blow it off. It's like some conspiracy or they won't be properly educated on it. And like, they'll they'll say some something really dumb that'll prove their point or have them be right in some way.

David Fiora 14:07
What have been your primary sources of news during the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 14:14
From my group of friends online, I guess. And then if something big happens, I'll see it on the internet.
David Fiora 14:23
Have those news sources change at all during the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 14:28
Changed in what way?
David Fiora 14:32
The, have the modes or the sources of news like different channels themselves. Have those changed at all?
Patrick Murphy 14:46
I'll say no, because I don't really watch the news. I just wanted to get whatever information I had online.
David Fiora 14:52
What do you think are the important issues in the Covid 19 Pandemic that the media is is not covering?
Patrick Murphy 15:03
Just doing the simple things like wearing a mask and washing your hands and sanitizing them.
David Fiora 15:12
What do you think of President Trump's response to the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 15:18
What was his response? Was it like?
David Fiora 15:24
Do you think he has like done a good job responding to the crisis? The, the pandemic crisis. Or like, do you have an opinion on how he has done so far?


Patrick Murphy 15:35
I mean, like, people are, like, not wearing them as I guess he can, like do better. But other than that, I don't really follow the news. So, I can't really give you an honest answer.
David Fiora 15:48
What. Why do you think masks have become so controversial during the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 15:55
Because people think it's their God given right to go against whatever the government tells them to. And I know some people, myself included, had like a thing with authority that if somebody tells them to do something, they just want to do the opposite of it. Like,
David Fiora 16:16
Why do you think certain individuals have attempted to discredit scientific leaders, such as Dr. Fauci and others from the Federal government leading the response?
Patrick Murphy 16:34
Because they're dumb, because what they what they think in their brain, and what their group of friends think that they all have, like this. This hive mind that what what what they believe in is what is right. So if Dr. was his name, Fauci, Dr. Fauci says that wearing a mask is good. They will somehow conjure up this thought of like, Oh, well, he's a part of this secret Illuminati organization. Russian, Chinese bla bla, that the mask is that our way of controlling the people and something stupid like that.
David Fiora 17:18
Have, Did you have any travel plans or any other plans affected by the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 17:26
Not really No. No.
David Fiora 17:32
Do any other events from your life compare to the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 17:39
No, I think the pandemic is probably like a piece of cake compared to what I went through. I'm sure there's going to be something along the lines that will somehow miraculously pop the shit that happened in my life. But this pandemic hasn't really affected me at all. Like I said, my my grandpa and my uncle got it and since ever since they got cured in quotations. Yeah, smooth sailing.

David Fiora 18:14
Has your experience transformed how you think about your family, friends and community?
Patrick Murphy 18:21
Um, not really. I mean, I mean, like I said, like the COVID-19 will just like, they'll have two sizes, like two sides of the same coin, where it's like wear masks don't wear a mask if you don't wear masks, and you're part of the problem. And if you do wear a mask, you're supporting governments, blah, blah, blah, blah. But other than that, it hasn't really affected me or anybody. I know just giving their opinion on what they think is right.
David Fiora 18:54
What can you imagine your life being like in the year?
Patrick Murphy 19:00
Oh, God, after the pandemic or like during?
David Fiora 19:06
October 13,2021, what do you think your life is going to be like? I guess I part of the question, do you think the pandemic will be over in a year?
Patrick Murphy 19:17
Well, that all depends if there's like a vaccine for it if there's like a cure. If there is, probably won't affect me that much. I probably still have the same job at Amazon or I'll probably get sick of it or be in an accident or somehow mess up my leg arm, get some sort of disability, somebody dies. Can't really predict the future just hope that things stay the same, except with more money.
David Fiora 19:47
Knowing what you know now, what do you think individuals, communities or the government needs to keep in mind for the future?
Patrick Murphy 19:58
How they educate people. If somebody is acting up there, they aren't playing nice. They're not going to wear their mask. I don't know. Give him a slap on the wrist.
David Fiora 20:13
Do you think any certain precautions taken during the pandemic were more effective in stopping the Coronavirus?

Patrick Murphy 20:25
Well, it wasn't like the first three months or the first few months of the virus like everybody was so unlike in feet, like fear. And there's like some people weren't, but people were in fear, fear. Were in their homes and then weren't going out. They weren't. If they had it, they weren't spreading it. And like, it was like, small, spread rates. But I don't watch the news. I don't do my research. So but I'm pretty sure that like, now, there's more of a chance to get it because people are pretending that like there's nothing wrong. There's about their daily day with like a mask or the washing their hands more or they're not.
David Fiora 21:15
How do you think society has changed because of the pandemic?
Patrick Murphy 21:26
I don't know just people give their opinions. There's obviously going to be people who aren't going to be happy with that. So, it's gonna just create two sides. It's gonna divide people, I guess.
David Fiora 21:45
Is there anything else you'd like to add before we wrap this interview up?
Patrick Murphy 21:50
The virus?
David Fiora 21:52
Did you just have any more thoughts that you would like to add to the interview? About 2020 or the Coronavirus in general?
Patrick Murphy 22:06
I mean, this has been like a really like shitty year. I think with like, everything that's happening. Like, if this is the worst year and everybody and like the, everybody's life, I know there's like personal like, Oh, this thing happened to me in 1999. But if 2020 is like the worst year, in general, I'm sure we can like overcome it and like, either become better because of it or just stay the same. I don't think there's getting any worse than like what we have now.
David Fiora 22:45
All right. Well, thank you very much for participating in this.
Patrick Murphy 22:50
It's my pleasure. Dave. [shakes hand]