Cooking Through Lockdowns with Alan
The first instalment in The Accessible Normal: a summer series on the impact of lockdowns on the neuro-diverse community.
Find new articles through Good Foot every Thursday, all summer long.
Today I had the chance to talk to Alan, who has been working as a Courier for Good Foot since 2014 and is 34 years old. Alan and I can both be found at the Good Foot office each Tuesday afternoon, and I was happy to have the chance to finally get to know him better. He has a keen curiosity for everything going on, and loves to ask questions about all of the activity in the office, hoping to help out in any way that he can. This afternoon, it was finally my turn to ask some questions as we walked around the neighbourhood when his office work had finished. When I asked what got him through lockdowns, it turned out that we had found the same hobby – we both love to cook.
When lockdowns started, he was pretty sad that he wouldn’t be able to work and come into the Good Foot offices to socialize with his colleagues like normal. He was also nervous, particularly because he would soon be living on his own in a basement apartment attached to his brother’s house.
To cope with the sudden isolation, Alan focused on a healthy lifestyle, cooking things like stir-fry and almond-flour pancakes, and going on long walks when he couldn’t access his gym. His friends and colleagues at Good Foot always mention how proud they are of his healthy weight loss, especially during a tough year. He’s excited to try out the new cooking skills he’s acquired during lockdown, and already has plans to cook and bake with his friends from Good Foot.
He was happy to have the virtual programming at Good Foot during the pandemic and really liked playing games during ‘Fun Fridays’, but he is excited for things to open up again. He’s especially looking forward to the first in-person event that Good Foot is throwing this summer, and says that he’ll be making a batch of coconut-flour cookies (a healthy, low-carb option of course!) just for the occasion.
He’s pretty confident that they’ll be a hit with his friends, and is planning on making a batch for his nephew’s birthday to try them out first. He’s also excited for the games during the picnic, including his favourite – War. When I asked how to play, he didn’t elaborate, so I assume he’s keeping his competitive edge for the big day. Well played, Alan.
Alan is also looking forward to travelling, and wants to plan a trip to New York when the border opens up. In the meantime, he is looking forward to a jam-packed day tomorrow delivering flyers, and he’s hopeful that there will be a little rain to cut the heat. It can get a little hot delivering packages and flyers in mid-summer, but after a winter of lockdowns, Alan is just happy to be outside again, and he’s excited for the chance to play his own role in finding new customers.
