I went grocery shopping today, experimenting with the “lunchtime on Sunday” timing. There was a long line to get in, but it moved almost comically fast: a whole bunch of shoppers left all at once, and the whole line just filed right in within a couple of minutes. I was alarmed to see fewer people wearing masks than the last time I went; I’d been expecting to see it at near-total mask usage by now. Because I’d seen the news and knew there were small nationwide protests about the social distancing and the shutdown of non-essential businesses, I wondered if what I was seeing was people Not Wearing Masks (as opposed to just not wearing masks), which made me feel unhappier than the last time I went shopping. Last time there was a “This is scary, but we’re all working together to keep us all safer!” feeling, but this time there was a “Some of us are trying our best to keep us all safer, but others of us are deliberately thwarting and sabotaging those efforts” feeling.
I saw quite a few people wearing N95 masks and I reminded myself that just as they don’t know I am shopping for seven people, I have NO IDEA why they’re wearing an N95. They could have found out they were exposed recently to someone confirmed to have Covid-19. They could be living with someone who has a confirmed or strongly-suspected case. They could be healthcare workers. They could have an immune disorder or some other medical situation, and also be very stressed right now because there were no delivery/pick-up slots available and so they had to go into the store. They could have one mask they used for something else long ago and hung onto it because maybe it would come in handy for something else some day, and it can’t be donated because it was used, and look it HAS come in handy! They could be wearing something that to my untrained eye LOOKS like an N95 but IS NOT. So many reasons for me to keep my eyes on my own work!
I also saw quite a few people shopping together, and I had a harder time thinking of good justifications for that, not that I am the Grocery Shopping Judge and/or Jury (PLEASE LET ME HAVE THAT JOB). I did think of one or two: maybe one member of the pair can’t be left home alone, or maybe one of them knows what groceries they need but can’t do any bending or gripping or lifting. There are probably other good reasons for it, too. Still, there were so MANY people shopping together and I would very much like it if as many people who COULD shop alone would shop alone. The grocery store is a scary place right now, and I am doing what I can to keep myself and other people safe, and then I am passed much too close by a mom and a teenager, neither of them wearing masks, casual and chatty and walking the wrong way down a one-way aisle, while on the other side of the aisle a mask-wearing woman’s non-mask-wearing male companion is bored and wandering around picking things up and reading the labels and being in the way, and CAN WE PERHAPS EXPEND A CERTAIN MINIMUM INDIVIDUAL EFFORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GROUP.
Mine did not seem to be the only attitude that was slipping a little. One woman joined the line outside the store, sighing loudly and saying “Aw GEEZ.” The cheerful woman in front of her made a friendly remark about how the line was moving nice and fast, and the woman who had just joined us said that SHE had to WORK all week, and she would appreciate it if everyone who “didn’t have to work” could do their shopping during the week. Well. I mean. There is a lot to pick through there, if we felt like picking, which LET’S NOT, IT FEELS SO UNPLEASANT.
The woman in front of me in line was not wearing a mask, was rolling her eyes and sighing and shifting impatiently from foot to foot in a showy way, was much too close to people once we got into the store, was putting her cart in the middle of the aisle, and wasn’t paying attention to the One Way signs. I was going to use the word “ignoring” for how she was interacting with the One Way signs, but fortunately for the ongoing and badly-needed development of my character, I found myself at one point accidentally going the wrong way down an aisle. In my defense, it was a double-aisle with a lower shelf down the middle, and I started the correct direction up one side, then incorrectly assumed the other side was the other direction since everything else was back-and-forth like that. But, to hand some material over for my prosecution as well, another customer came up the aisle the other (and, as it turned out, correct) way, saw me and hastily backed away, and I thought to myself with exasperation, “Oh my god, people, one-way aisles, just LOOK at the SIGNS!” Then I got to the end of the aisle and saw the one-way sign, pointing at me. It took my potential judginess down a couple of pegs, I’ll say that. Mortification can be so immediately and intensely constructive.
I will end this on a more cheerful note by saying that the store had toilet paper for the first time in a month. They did not have a ton of choice, and it was all the small packages, and there was a limit of one package per customer—but it was heartening to see it.
Swistle, this is one of your all-time great postings, YES to all of it! I, too, tried out for Grocery Shopping Judge and/or Jury today and I commend your restraint. My large store (in a northeast hot zone) had no entrance line but very little produce, barely any meat, absolutely no paper products or cleaning supplies. Was worse and more stressful than 6 weeks ago when shutdown began here. Can no one decipher the one-way aisle markers?? Can people not hear the constant PA announcements to keep 2 cart lengths apart?? GAH! Be well!
I will say that my husband has two very old N95 masks that he has used for woodworking/power tool/ fume purposes, and a good friend has several because she is a glass/ceramics artist and it’s her job. Just to add to the reasons someone might have one they had not donated.
Easter weekend was by far the worst for people shopping together and shopping fast/aggressively. Like, pushing past me to get things, pushing into my space, darting around and trying to get as many things in the cart as quickly as possible. Like, that’s not how viruses work! If two of you shop very fast, it will not reduce your risk! But it will increase my stress! Sigh.
Our next door neighbours (who are 70+) told me how they had a N95 mask for woodworking and then they also use it at the grocery store too, because they hung onto it and it’s now useful. So that is definitely a thing.
Interesting to hear about the grocery store. I’ve been lucky to get pickup slots – and I normally do pickup anyway – so I really didn’t want to start going into the store. It does sound super stressful. I was able to order some toilet paper on Walmart’s website to be shipped to me, so that was helpful because you can’t order it on their pickup.
Yes, my dad found N95 masks in his garage.
I assume no medical facility wants already-used-garage-dirty N95 masks, so that’s my yardstick for seeing them on people in public right now. I pretend they are all Garage Masks.
I work for a medical device manufacturer. Our company had n95 masks on hand from before there was a shortage. They distributed 2 to each employee so that they could be worn offsite. I wear mine every time I go to the grocery store. My current grocery store anger is entire families! Children! Babies! Makes me crazy.
Not sure if the families you saw had two adults; I know a single mom who has to take her two kids shopping with her and feel so much empathy for what she’s been doing on her own.
I went grocery shopping today too. My state is very much a “no work or business on Sundays, it’s a holy day” so I figured everything would be very empty. And indeed it was, there were very few other people. However, there was a lot of produce out of stock, and they were just beginning to restock it, and then it occurred to me that while there would be less customers, there are also a lot less people working there.
I have been debating if it is better to go to multiple stores in one day, or if separate trips on separate days is better. Well, we had a birthday gift order snafu, so I finally also returned that to Walmart today. I was astounded at the difference in safety measures between the two stores. Our grocery store had all staff wearing masks, and plexiglass in front of the cashier, sanitizing wipes, one way aisles, and so on. (It’s a local state chain.) (I will admit to not actually noticing the one way arrows for awhile and then felt a sense of shame.)
Walmart had tape strung up in front of the store, so you had to go to the side to get in (possibly for a line?) but there was no line and no clear entrance to the line, so everyone was ducking under the tape and touching it. No sanitizing wipes, not many people in masks (most staff not), no one way anything, and the only checkout open was the self check. There are 12 stations and a line. It moved fast but zero disinfecting was being done, customers were just coming up and touching right after each other. I needed help and the staff came and touched the screen and then just left, with no hand sanitizer use or anything. I left feeling very panicky and hot and sweaty (my mask and sweatshirt didn’t help).
But I don’t think I’ll go back to Walmart for awhile. I felt like I wanted a shot of whiskey when I got home.
Exact same issues at Walmart here (TX). WTF, Wally.
This was a couple weeks ago, but my biggest grocery store gripe was the woman who pushed in front of me as I was about to grab some lemons. She proceeded to pick up and inspect no fewer than 15 of them before deciding on one (1) single lemon.
I’m totally guilty of this—not on produce–but on canned goods. I absent mindedly picked up a can and then set it back down. I did remember to take it back, but I think it is possible that woman was just doin what a lot of us did before these times ;)
This cheered me up today: around where I live flyers were posted since Friday to “liberate” my city and all that crap today. Absolutely no one showed up except for the NYPD.
I had to go to Target to get a few things I could not buy at the grocery store only to find our Target is being remodeled and nothing is in the right location! I had to ask an employee where the shampoo is (after frantically pacing the old location about 12 times) and they told “its been relocated to girl’s clothing.” Prior to this pandemic I think I would have felt awesome to have scored some extra “wander Target alone time.” To have that happen when I was already panicky to be there it just felt mean.
As a nurse we get fit tested for n95s yearly as a work safe regulation. I have hung on to my old masks for years, but now don’t wear them as I am afraid that people will think I am hugging supply that should go to front line healthcare workers. I have made a number of homemade masks instead but constantly debate this with myself.
I screenshotted this amazing tweet the other day and have been applying it to others (and myself) whenever I feel tempted to judge (so so very tempted). https://mobile.twitter.com/halvorsen/status/1248989294070562818
I keep seeing judgemental posts about people wearing N95s but almost everyone I know has one lying around for one reason or another. One friend bought a few when they had mice nests in the attic they had to clear out. Another was refinishing a chair and bought a couple for sanding. My dad uses them for work occasionally and still has two lightly worn ones. My husband even found one he forgot be bought. None of them can be donated because they’re all at least lightly worn, but you can’t tell that by looking at them and I’m so scared someone is going to be cruel to one of them for “hoarding masks” instead of taking advantage of something they already had and trying to protect themselves and others the best they can. Outright rudeness I have a hard time with, and awful behavior like coughing on people in “jest” is just unacceptable, but for the most part I just keep thinking about those masks and trying to be kind.
Wear your old masks! Protect yourself in ways that do no harm to others! (Except in their judgmental Goody Proctor-policing ways)
I have a n95 mask (farming, pesticide application) and I wear a homemade cloth mask on top. Mostly to stop judgemental comments but also to keep the mask as clean as possible
I so appreciate your thoughts on other people wearing the n95 masks! My husband and I have been reusing the same mask when going shopping since this all started, it’s one we had left in an emergency bag after some wildfires a few years back. I’ve only been out twice in the past 6 weeks but both times I felt so guilty wearing that mask! My husband has only been out once since we started quarantining and he said he got a lot of stares when he was loading up the cart at Costco, it’s strange to feel like you need to explain to everyone watching “We haven’t been to the store in 3 weeks and we’re not planning on coming back here for at least another 3!”
We’re fortunate to be in a position where we have the space and the money to allow us to stock up like that and I feel like it’s our responsibly to do so, at least we’re reducing the exposure for the store employees by what little we can.
If it’s any consolation, I live in London (UK) and don’t have a car. My boyfriend and I shop together as otherwise we wouldn’t be able to carry all of the shopping back home in 1 trip. We do divide the list and shop separately to make it quicker and more efficient, but if we find each other we will discuss findings or whatever in an aisle.
I too suffer from N95 Mask Guilt every time I go out for groceries. I have one left from SARS, when I worked in the hospital, that I reuse. Due to autoimmune issues I have to be extra careful, but I wish I could wear a sign explaining all this so the other shoppers don’t judge me as a mask hogger.
I also went the wrong way down an aisle and only realized after people were giving me Looks. Oops.
I miss the days when grocery shopping didn’t add to Things To Regret When Awake in the Night.
What a wonderful post. Thank you, Swistle, for always being there to put words what we’re thinking and feeling.
Maybe one of the upsides of this terrible TIme will be for us to learn to be less judgmental and more charitable (myself included) “… fortunately for the ongoing and badly-needed development of my character…”
I wonder if those who (legitimately) have N95 or N95-ish masks (and honestly, I am not even looking at people that closely to think what kind of a mask they have) might consider a light cloth mask over the top when you’re grocery shopping. I know you don’t owe anybody any kind of explanation, but it might ease your mind just a bit.
I had a similar experience at my grocery store (including the accidental going the wrong way after Judging Others). I’m just going to say it: I feel terrible about it, but there’s a tiny part of me that thinks “an outbreak centered around one of these rallies would serve them right.” Ugh that’s awful. But it’s a feeling that’s there.
It is so hard to not judge. Let me tell you who I judged at the store. NOT the large majority of people who were wearing masks and seemed to be doing their best to shop reasonably quickly. No. The two ladies who were 1. shopping together, 2. aimlessly, 3. with a handbasket, 4. without masks, 5. it looked to me like they thought a mask would clash with their outfit and mess up their hair. Yes. Judgy. But not to their faces, so I am calling it good.
I went and did my Walmart pick up order. There are signs all over about touch free/contact free experience. They talked to me through a window open about half an inch from about 6′ away and loaded my van with groceries. On the way out of the parking lot, I saw tons of groups of unmasked people sauntering in and out of the store. Close together. Not a glove or mask to be seen. Lots of laughing and chatting and definitely more than one adult with kids there too.
I have literally not gone anywhere but daily walks/bike rides and one doctor’s appointment for my daughter. I felt completely mystified. What is even happening? I don’t know their situations but there was definitely no social distancing that I could see
Can we speak for a moment about how many times I have seen a male/female couple in a store, and the woman is wearing a mask and the man is not wearing anything? What is with that? They are clearly together. My (possibly wrong) supposition is the man feels somehow immune, due to his owning a penis? That wearing a mask is weak or somehow emasculating?
You can bet both your left and right boob that the menfolk in my house are wearing one if they are going out at all!
Yes! and all of the data we have about this thing (scanty but growing) is that being male is a key marker for higher susceptibility. It is so irritating…
this gave me a greatly needed laugh. I have noticed the same thing!
How has grocery shopping become such an exercise in tamping down judgmental tendencies?!?! I went last week and a ) was really nervous I was going the wrong way in the aisles because I have read so much about one-way aisles… but I didn’t see any signage. And b) I felt very frustrated toward a group of three staffers who were not wearing masks and were hanging out together in an aisle, definitely NOT six feet apart from one another, and not leaving any room for me to go around. And c) I kept seeing people without masks or holding one or two items in the checkout line or there with kids and having to take deep breaths and remind myself that they all probably had VERY GOOD reasons for doing what they were doing.
I went grocery shopping this morning, first time since April 6th. I do typically go weekly, but stretching it 2 weeks felt good but also worrisome (because I *needed* stuff this time, rather than just “needed” stuff). I go at my normal-ish time at my normal store. I even work full-time and go during the week so that lady in line would love me lol (Even before COVID19, I worked from home 2 days/week, so one of those days, I would go grocery shopping after getting kids to school, and be home/unpacked before I needed to log in). This was the first time in 5 weeks that the store didn’t feel crowded. I feel like most of the stock besides meat has recovered. I’m in a state that mandates wearing a mask – which officially went into effect just yesterday – but you can be cited/fined if you’re not wearing one in public spaces with other people). I don’t think I noticed anyone not wearing one. One thing I do notice though is when we are left with only eye contact (and no other facial expression), it’s weird! We “say” so much with our smiles/frowns/RBFs. Regarding the N-95 masks… to all, please reserve judgement! My husband has 2 of them, from old construction jobs. They are old and “dirty” (he hasn’t been using them now – preferring a bandanna) so obviously cannot be donated. I have a similar-looking (thought not N95) mask I’ve worn when spray-painting. Even someone who does have an N95 mask who bought it – maybe they bought it a month ago before they knew they shouldn’t have. I really think everyone needs to take a step back in judging others during this time. Heck, maybe that person wearing a mark is a medic! I didn’t notice the traffic pattern signs until halfway through the store!
Why did we all try to go to the store yesterday?! I went as well, although for me it there was no line, and it wasn’t terribly crowded, but there was one younger couple who kept getting too near to me (and others) and neither of them were wearing masks. They looked like they were out for a casual Sunday shop instead of stressed out like the rest of us, and I wanted to smack them (from a safe distance). I very pointedly backed up every time they got near me, and went the other direction, but I’m wishing now I had said something.
Also I never realized before this just how awful wearing a mask is; I feel like I’m drowning plus my glasses fog up.
I have had some luck with the trick of putting a folded-up facial-tissue inside the mask, along the top edge. I still hate the feeling of the mask, but my glasses fog less and that helps.
That is helpful, thank you!
I have so many of these same thoughts, and you are so good at putting them into words.
Since you are trying to have charitable thoughts towards others, try this…why would someone leave a (presumably used) N95 mask in a grocery store cart? I had the experience of seeing that last week and thought my head would explode! (I do understand why some people have them…but then to just discard and leave someone else to deal with? Ugh)
My rural county has had fewer than 40 cases so far, all at the far west (closer to city and military base) and east (an outbreak at an assisted living facility) edges of the county, while we lived in the very center. I’m waiting for the backlash when people realize how few cases we’ve had while acting like everyone is sick.
I’ve seen about 50% of shoppers using masks. Most people in general seem pretty respectful of distancing. The Walmart where I got my groceries was well stocked, except for tp. There were maybe ten 4-packs of really small rolls of the cheap 1-ply, limit one per customer. The cashiers all had masks, gloves and shields.
I broke down and visited my SIL – in her yard – who has also been isolated for the last month. Her 18yo daughter works at a small local grocery store. They aren’t ALLOWED to wear masks because it’s “off-putting” to customers. I’m livid, even considering what I wrote above.
Despite trying to maintain some normalcy and be healthy, my last grocery trip was mostly sugary snacks, chips and dip, and alcohol.
So I last went grocery shopping on Friday night of April the 10th. Not enough people were wearing masks. (our state has not yet mandated their use, just recommended).
However, our state HAS mandated that only one adult per household gets to go into a retail establishment, unless there are extenuating circumstances (kids with no child care, elderly shopper who needs assistance, or adult shopper has adult dependents who can’t be left at home). I did not see any groups of people who did not seem to fit any of those categories.
The produce selection was just fine at both the stores I went to. Meats were stocked at Trader Joe’s but the section was pretty empty at Kroger. As a 95% of the time vegetarian, the only meat I usually buy is my husband’s favorite deli turkey from Kroger, of which he consumes copious amounts. So far all the deli meats have been available at Kroger, though.
I’m purposefully avoiding weekends just because of crowds. I’ve found that sometimes if you google a store, google will tell you when it’s typically more/less busy – so I’ve been trying that. 10:30am is a good time by me so I take an hour off of work (working from home) and go.
We also have 2 N95 masks – one used from drywalling and one brand new. However, since I sew, we’re all wearing home-made masks as I’m making them for friends, family, and healthcare workers.
I’ve shopped solo the last 2 times but before that brought a daughter as we have two little stores (Aldi and a local store) right next to each other so she goes to one, I go to the other, and we were texting what we were getting/not getting based on availability. I’ve also sent her solo but as she is in college (also online) and super busy, I’ve been going myself the last couple of weeks. I have also taken someone with me and have had them wait in the car just because it makes me feel less anxious.
I did hit Walmart last Friday morning for all of the cleaning/contact lens/bathroom-type products and it was pleasingly empty, although I had to ask for a wipe for the cart and there was a big mix of customers and employees with and without masks. One employee was COUGHING LIKE HE WAS SICK without a mask in the food section. If I had seen someone who looked like I manager, I would have mentioned it.
I get more angry at people online who participate in “coronoashaming” people who break the rules of quarantine, because, as you mentioned above, sometimes there are good reasons for people to do what they are doing. Maybe wearing a mask gives someone panic attacks. Maybe they are hard of hearing and everyone in masks is taking away their lip-reading ability so they have to shop with a friend.
I find myself not worrying about things like changing clothes when I get home from shopping and never have I ever sanitized a delivery box. My husband works at a pharmacy–if we get sick, it will be because a patient who was sick came into contact with him, not because the pizza box had a germ on it. We still wear masks and limit contact of course, but then, maybe I’d do those things if I had an elderly or immunocompromised person in my household! Not judging people who do those things….much LOL.
The New York Times (you need to login to read it usually) has a great article called “Is the Virus on My Clothes?” right now that is excellent and comforting as far as understanding how risky different things are. Generally, grocery shopping is not that risky.
There are more people not wearing masks here than wearing them (Ottawa, Canada) as it’s not mandated, but some of the ones who wear them… hoo boy. I went shopping last Thursday and saw a couple of people with masks but only over their mouths, not their noses. One memorable woman had a mask, but was looking for something and every time she spoke to the produce department worker she’d grab the mask by the front and pull it down to talk, then put if back up when she was done. I found that sort of thing more irritating than the non-mask wearers, possibly because I pictured these people as all smug that they were doing the right thing by wearing a mask, but then rendering the masks totally useless. And of course I don’t KNOW they were feeling smug at all, but it really is hard not to judge people’s visible actions.
My husband made masks for all of us. I haven’t used mine yet because I haven’t left the house. We also have 8 N95 masks left over from when we were doing some mold mitigation. The package was opened and left in the basement (woodworking! Dusty!) for the last three years.
We are both a) not donating them because I don’t think opened packages will be usable by medical personnel and b) not using them right now because we’re saving them for if we get sick and need to protect other people if we go to the doctors or the ER or whatever.
I get BLINDED BY RAGE when I see pictures of people protesting about not wanting to social distance / “reopen the ecomony.” I’ve always had a very overdeveloped “fairness” barometer (ie, it wasn’t faaaaiiiiiiir if my sister got to do X but I could only do Y) and this is shoving me into overdrive. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT THOSE OF US PLAYING BY THE RULES WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE BEING MISERABLE FOR LONGER BECAUSE YOUR STUPID-ASS, SELFISH, IGNORANT ASSHAT SELVES don’t feeeeeel like being decent humans?!? omg going to have another rage stroke now brb
(uh, I realize this wasn’t exactly what the post was about, but the “people refusing to wear masks and also going shopping in groups and leaning over other people while refusing to respect personal space” brought them to mind.)
Husband went shopping and reported that most people were wearing masks, and only a few were being oblivious bozos.
Brown sugar is out of stock. Fortunately we have some, but it’s divvied up into Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe amounts.
Do you have white sugar and molasses?
Yes, and we will use that if we need to. We do have lots of brown sugar, still!
Add me to the list of “my local hospital won’t take my used N95 or even the extras from the open box, but I feel scared to wear it because people will judge me so I decided to sew some lesser masks instead”.
Oh, but I just read recently that the N95 masks that I have with the little vent boxes on the front do not meet the stricter requirements for medical use. The exhale valves show that they were manufactured under the specifications for industrial use. I know many hospitals are using anything they can get their hands on now, but it’s nice to know that mine don’t meet the gold standard for them anyway.
And I checked with a nurse friend at a local trauma center that has a high volume of cases, and she said that gear is tight but they have enough PPE that she feels safe. So that made me feel better too.
Yes to all of this, and also my own personal rant: last week there was a VERY long line to get into Trader Joe’s and I was behind two men who were wearing masks, but pulled them down a total of SEVEN TIMES to smoke cigarettes. I tried putting about 12 feet between us but I was downwind and it didn’t help. After the fifth cigarette, I (wearing my homemade mask) said very nicely, excuse me but could you please move further away to smoke? I will save your place in line! I was rewarded with two particularly New Jersey eyerolls and a heavy sigh, and then ONE of them stepped two feet away. Guys. I get it, I used to smoke. It’s hard to not smoke for a full hour when you’re addicted to smoking. But move the fuck away from all of us. I WAS GOING TO SAVE YOUR PLACE IN LINE. I couldn’t work up the courage to ask again. Decades of being a woman has ingrained in me not to piss off strange men. I very nearly asked the man behind me to hold *my* place in line so that I could move away, but by the time I thought of it I was almost at the front door. And somehow I was still afraid that these two (burly, New Jersey) men would be offended by me moving away from them and…I don’t know what. Take down my plate number and pay me a visit later?
In defense of N95 masks – they are recommended by the CDC for emergency supplies where I live because of the possibility of volcanic ash. I kept one for each family member and donated all of the rest to anesthesiologists and some nurses. I’m baking it and reusing it until I can’t breathe through it.
I have one N95 mask that I found in a drawer my sister in law used when she was dog sitting – not sure why she had it or left it but I’ve been wearing it for 3 weeks. Today I got some masks in the mail that I had ordered a long time ago. I think with all my panic ordering and freaking out about delivery dates, I may or may not have ordered a total of 25 cloth masks to arrive over the next couple weeks. I will be sharing – my sons live in CA and go nowhere but would like masks for when they can start out again. I don’t understand why people are still bringing children to stores? maybe they have no one to watch them? they touch everything and have no personal space issues. I have always read your blog with enthusiasm, but never more so than during this epidemic. thank you.
At Superstore here, there are signs saying “When possible, only one shopper per household” and at Costco they restrict it to two. And of course there is going to be a single parent with small children – who can’t help it – but when I see a few people from a family, and they are scattered all over, and they are NOT small children…I try not to judge because I don’t know their story but IT IS DIFFICULT.
I had to go to the hospital yesterday for an unpleasant lab test. The website said the lab opened at 7, I arrived at 7:10. There was a hospital employee screening people who entered- temperature check, about 10 health questions, gave you a mask if you didn’t have one and reminded you about social distancing. Of course he also told me the lab had changed their hours and I decided to wait in my car rather than the hospital lobby. As he was explaining the new lab hours to me another woman arrived and said she too had to go to the lab, but she decided to wait in the lobby. A few minutes before the lab was supposed to open I came back in, went to the lab entrance and began to input my information in the digital kiosk. The other woman got up angrily from the lobby chair, shouted that the kiosk had been off prior to my arrival and stood right over my shoulder sighing and stomping (implying that I had cut in line.) This would have been unacceptable without social distancing because she was clearly reading my personal information, but also breathing all over me. With all the restrictions in my state, its not like either of us was there for blood work for a routine physical. Plus I had arrived before her and how was I supposed to know she had not yet signed in. I was so angry but decided that saying something wouldn’t be productive. Instead I’m writing about here here.
After that I went to Costco where people were fairly respectful, there were pallets and pallets of toilet paper (I already have enough TP, so didn’t want to buy more because hoarding, but was tempted.) I did see a lady checking out with a single box of strawberries. I cannot for the life of me think of a good reason to go to the store for just one thing. I mean maybe draino, or diapers or tylenol, something that indicated a *need*, but strawberries? Lastly I did see about 4 couples where just the woman had on a mask. I don’t get it.
There might be a possibility that they went to Costco for something, but the store was out of the Important Things They Needed and so the only thing that got bought was strawberries. Or maybe a kid refuses to eat anything unless they have a strawberry as well. Or maybe they were picking up prescriptions/glasses/? but that goes through a different line but as long as you’re in the building, strawberries?
(That said: I know someone who bought a pair of N95 masks for him and his wife this month, despite knowing that there is a shortage. Also he has a beard so the N95-ness is mostly useless for him. I mean, still, only two, but AUGH sometimes the charitable assumption is incorrect and I wish that were not the case.)