And then, there were two (shots)

“Did he miss?”

Between barely feeling the needle for no more than a second and the strange sensation immediately afterward like someone pouring warm water down my side, I actually did wonder for a moment if the guy whiffed.

Then I realized that if he had, the Pfizer vaccine would be running down my arm, not my rib cage.

Instead of a Red Sox video in the observation room and Wally the Green Monster waiting to greet us outside — I think we got our first shots during a promotion with the team — the entertainment on the television as we waited the 15 minutes needed to make sure there were no adverse reactions was literally the time.

Between it being just a couple days after the vaccine was available to everyone and the realization that it was actually happening after months of waiting and wondering when it would be my turn, the first shot was like a party.

The second shot was like a business trip. Not that it wasn’t exciting, but this time, there was no pre-shot chat over whether I chose a red shirt to hide any blood, just some basic health questions from the young man in his military fatigues.

He wouldn’t even let me adjust the chair, turning it around himself when I told him I wanted the shot in my right arm because I’m left-handed.

Instead of a Red Sox video in the observation room and Wally the Green Monster waiting to greet us outside — I think we got our first shots during a promotion with the team — the entertainment on the television as we waited the 15 minutes needed to make sure there were no adverse reactions was literally the time.

And at the appointed minute, Suzi and I — having made our appointments for the same time this time — just walked out.

“I also started to become hyper-aware of my body and played the game of ‘Is it allergies, a normal body function, or a vaccine side effect?’”

— “COVID-19 Vaccine: Check!” Strikeouts + Sprinkles

After our first shots, Suzi and I made an excursion of our trip to Boston, walking around the Public Garden and grabbing lunch in the city.

This time, however, we went straight home … not wanting any side effects to hit while we were out. So far, I haven’t noticed anything unusual other than the funny feeling immediately after the shot, and I don’t think my parents or Suzi’s had any major issues after their second shots.

So maybe nothing will happen, but other than a post-lunch walk — we figured we’d better get it in early before any side effects do come — our schedules are pretty clear through tomorrow, just in case.

And yes, I will wonder if anything out of the ordinary for the next day or so is a side effect.

I got a notice in the mail that Utica College is having an in-person Homecoming this September.

Since I graduated in 1994, this year isn’t a particularly important anniversary (although it is the college’s 75th anniversary), but every year when I get the announcement, I at least contemplate going.

Maybe I’ll go this year, and maybe I won’t. I usually end up not going for reasons revolving mostly around the four-hour drive in each direction, but this year … at least I can.

We’ve taken some baby steps like walking outside without masks as long as we keep our distance from people as we walk by, and weather permitting, we’re planning on going to a baseball game this weekend, but May 25, the day we’re fully vaccinated, is going to be the big day.

Even if I’m not sure about diving headfirst back into everything, the card which is slightly too big for my wallet with two dates on it means I’m closer than ever to that day … and there’s also that whole “greatly reducing my chances of getting sick from a pandemic or spreading it to others” thing.

It feels a little bit like a superpower.