Plagues

I started wearing a mask at meijers like a month ago or something . Not to brag, but I was one of the first ones to wear it, before the CDC recommended it , and I hated how awkward it made everything. Id smile at people in an attempt to feel normal and then realize what an idiot I was because my mouth was covered up. It just created this weird environment where people didn’t smile, or say hello, or have the nice grocery store chit chat id typically encounter....there’s just something about a plague that ruins everything amiright??.

At least I felt protected with this piece of cloth strapped to my face, whether it was scientifically preventing my death or not, I have no idea. It seemed like the logical measure for me to take.

All I could think about was what it’s like to be in my house in the middle of the day with the sun pouring in through the windows. You know that  time of day where  every single dust particle in the air is visible ? And I realized  that some strangers asymptomatic talking particles, or sneeze,  or cough,  or whatever, would stick to and be floating on those tiny air particles in the store and the only reason I wasn’t seeing  them was because the sun doesn’t shine inside meijers. And anyways,  I  didn’t want to inhale any of that...so there I was awkwardly smiling with a mask strapped to my head.

The first time I wore it, Yes it was awkward but At least I “felt” safe! The week before trip, the stores aisles had been  mobbed and we were all breathing all over each other. So I felt like I was making a good choice finally . It was a short lived experience though because when I showed up  to the register (before plexiglass was Installed), My  unmasked cashier started scanning my stuff and I say the usual “how’s it going?” And he responds, “well I’m working on my day off” and I’m like “oh that’s too bad you have to work because it’s so busy”. And he says “oh no, I picked up this shift because I was really sick Wednesday and I wanted the money ( this is on a Friday, 2 days past Wednesday...the day he was “really sick”) . “Oh did you have the flu?” I ask. “OH YEAH, I was REALLY sick, ALOT of congestion, fever, all of it” he says ....as he’s breathing his dust air particles all over my lettuce. I won’t lie, I thought about abandoning my groceries . I might as well have just pulled my mask off , set it on fire and let him sneeze in my face right there.  I haven’t died yet. The salad was good.

THEN, something amazing happened on my next trip, 10 days later!! More people started wearing masks , and plexiglass went up! I kept running into this other shopper gal with her mask on too, and ....she smiled at me! You know how I could tell??  Our eyes can smile!! 🙂 And that just really made me happy. So SMILE at people, make eye contact, it’s okay...your eyes can smile, they’ll know!! And everyone can use a smile from a stranger In these  socially distanced days we’re having.