New Years Eve

 It was appalling, risky, and, unfortunately, necessary. I had to go to our local grocery store's pharmacy on New Year's Eve. It couldn't be delayed until the crowds thinned, because the pharmacy closed earlier than usual, and wasn't open at all tomorrow. This pharmacy serves both Steve's and Rich's needs, and has no drive thru like mine does. They needed their stuff NOW.

The line just for the pharmacy was about 10 people long when we joined it. Do not be fooled into thinking it extended 60 feet, however. The first three spaces back are marked on the floor for 6' distancing. After that, well, people picked anything between 2 and 4 feet. I had Rich with me, and we gave a 7 foot berth to those in front, as if perhaps that might make up for their carelessness. 

It didn't make up for the fellow right behind us, very pleasant and chatty indeed, which wouldn't have been an issue except in addition to all the chatting, he stood close and didn't wear a mask. When I asked him to please step back, he offered to show us his card from his doctor exempting him from wearing a mask. The virus doesn't care. When I said I still needed to protect myself and repeated - gently - my request that he step back, he displayed insult, but stepped back and shut up.

While waiting in line, we passed all the shoppers leaving the checkout counters with their purchased groceries.  One particularly sparkly mask caught my eye. So did the nose sticking out up above it.  I was reminded of something Steve showed me from Facebook the other day, repeated here and with apologies to whoever was being quoted: "Whenever I see how people wear their masks, I understand why condoms don't always work."

After securing our meds, I picked up a trio of frozen dinners, enough to tide me over with what I already have until sometime next week when the crowds should be sparser and - hopefully - saner. (Yeah, sure.) OK, then, sparser, anyway. The lines to check out groceries were even worse than for the pharmacy. Yes, the floor is marked. That works for the first one in line, but the crowd took a sharp turn from there, spreading down the main aisle for way too long, and again, folks were lined up as close to the next in line as they could, particularly those who, like me, carried just a basket or armful of items. or maybe just milk, and weren't pushing a cart to help space them. I did my best to keep back, but the guy "behind" me in line decided that right next to me where he could carry on a conversation was his spot in line. I tried to ignore him as politely as I could, but was  delighted when my turn came to check myself out.

Now that I'm home, my pharmacy called, and my meds are ready. I'm off again, but this time I get a drive-thru! Before I go, though, did I mention the nut in the parking lot, about half as far from the doors as our car was parked, complaining at the top of his voice, that because the parking lot was so full he had to walk so far from the door that he sh*t all over himself? All over himself? Goodness, what a challenge!

Glad I was upwind.