On the way home from work, I get a Taiwanese 'subway' sandwich from just about the only street vendor whose food I trust. We have gotten to know each other over the months. He tells me in Chinese that I slightly understand that his business is way down because everyone is afraid of SARS.

Proof You're Cooler
Than 38 °C

FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2003 -- Second day wearing the masks while teaching. I had to take it off several times to wipe the thick film of moisture from my lower face. SARS signs and everywhere: posters, billboards, hand-written in Chinese, "SARS-FREE" stickers to be worn by those whose temperature tests as normal, most posted by small businesspeople desperately seeking to assuage the public's fear and stem their financial hemorrhaging.

THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2003 -- Could this be the turning of the corner? For several days now, the numbers of deaths and new cases has trended downward. Government officials have opined that the worst is over. Even my pessimistic coworker who has so denigrated Taiwan's ability to cope with this crisis, has expressed optimism. As I weigh this news my mind drifts to the situation in Hong Kong several weeks ago, when, presumably having been cured, several SARS patients were rehospitalized with relapses. And then comes the bad news from Toronto -- more new cases after a lapse -- and the WHO relists Canada as a 'SARS-affected country.'

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2003 -- There are definitely fewer masks out there among the sea of Taiwanese commuters. I even spot an elderly main without a mask -- unthinkable only a few weeks ago, since the death rate by SARS for those over 55 is about 50 percent. Day by day there are hints that Taiwan may not in fact be destroyed by this disease. Today, zero new deaths; yesterday, zero deaths and only 10 fully new cases. The weather is heating up, and more and more bare shoulders are passing by. Gradually the fear of dying from a news-only breath-stealer is being overtaken by the ageless, unrelenting eroticism of sunlit health.