I ventured out yesterday to get some groceries, as I was one of the few who didn’t hoard them when the pandemic started. I was down to a box of pancake mix, a granola bar, and 3 cans of string beans, so it was time.
I entered the store after putting on my vinyl gloves and a mask. The mask I knew was not protection for myself, but for others, should I be infected and not know it. The gloves would be disposed of after wiping down my purchases at my car.
I have to say it was an odd shopping experience. Almost everyone I saw was wearing a mask. Either the surgical type, or a scarf.
I’m guessing about half the customers also had gloves on.
Cough shields were at the checkout area and tiles on the floor indicated the social distancing guideline of 6′ when waiting in line.
There were, of course, those few who feeling they aren’t at risk, walked among the rest of us without a care in the world.
A 30-something couple. A young mother trailing her 10 year-old behind her.
When you realize how a virus spreads you take notice of things you never gave a second thought about.
Mom picking up different varieties of pizza, handing them to her child, and asking, “How about this one?” “No? What about pepperoni?,” repeating the process of letting the kid handle each box for closer inspection and putting them back on the shelf.
As she put each one back on the shelf after being rejected, I realized some people just don’t give a damn about anyone else.
Until they get sick, it’s not their problem.
For some, even if they do get sick they’ll stand by their belief that the pandemic was either released on purpose, as some sort of test of American’s will to oppose government, or there is a conspiracy afoot.
Considering the cost to the American economy, and the money being spent to control the Covid-19 pandemic, both theories are laughable.
I do wonder if that 30ish couple and the woman with her child would be so adverse to wearing a mask if it was their age group running an 18% death rate nationally, and not the 60 and over crowd.
Would she have her child handling everything in a store? Would she had brought him to the store at all?
Heaven forbid we listen to our government officials who listen to scientists and health experts.
We only listen when they tell us how to cash our government checks.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
