Not Cool

You and I may not agree about masks. You may believe it’s ridiculous to wear them. I believe it’s about the easiest way to stop airborne germ transmission from me to you, or you to me.

Nevertheless, we need to agree to disagree by respecting each other’s space.

When you stood in an establishment next to me the other day, lowering your mask constantly to speak to others, standing right beside me instead of alloting space, peeking in the kitchen to chat with someone while pulling your mask down to talk, you were telling me nonverbally that you simply don’t care. That what you believe trumps what I believe. That you don’t have to care about respecting my space. I heard you loud and clear.

That’s the first time I’ve been in a situation like that, and it’s safe to assume that you are like this around countless others.

If you’re around people who are of the same ilk, you forget that lots of people aren’t on your same wavelength. Or you choose not to care – blatantly. Either way, store owners are unfortunately the ones who will suffer from it because patrons won’t return to places they’ve felt uncomfortable in because of people who show disregard.

I do not like wearing a mask. I can’t imagine wearing one all day as a market cashier for eight hours, or a healthcare worker for 12 hours, or a surgeon for 18 hours. I can’t imagine it. It’s stifling for 30 minutes. It would be crushing to wear it for long days, every day. Who would want to wear one? You and I are not all that unlike each other. But I do it because it makes basic sense to me. You and I have the privilege of only having to wear one now and then.

When I’m out in the world, I’m not vocal about how I feel. I’ve never felt the need to say anything. It takes a pretty disrespectful action to make me speak up. Most people here have been very mindful and considerate of each other. In all these months, I haven’t had a shred of concern for my own well-being until I was in the same room with you. And I’ve been in Costco, Fred Meyer, Target, etc. Your lack of care made me bristle.

I’m not asking a lot. Allowing five or six feet of space and wearing a mask while you’re inside an establishment aren’t burdensome habits compared to getting COVID. They’re about as easy as it gets.