To Mask, or Not to Mask

I'm sure all of us has a Covid-19 story. Well I decided to write of one aspect of mine. When all of this started back in February of 2020, I didn't think it would last long. I didn't have that opinion because of our fearless leader of that time. That opinion was likely wishful thinking.

In any case the company I worked for, was doing all they could to remain running. They told us to wear mask, so I and my co-workers did. We also had to wear safety glasses. The glasses weren't because of Covid, they were to protect our eyes from glass. You see we made sun rooves for cars, and if they broke glass would fly everywhere.

I only tell you about the safety glasses, because they would fog up when I wore the mask. I drove a forklift in an area that also had pedestrians. So seeing clearly was a must. Imagine having to stop multiple times to clean your glasses. I had to train myself to breath shallow and out of my mouth. So yeah I hated that darn mask.

Then word came that many of the car assembly lines were closing due to covid, which meant we'd be closing soon. I was one of the dependable drivers so I was one of the last to have to stop coming to work. So even though we only had ten percent of the staff. We still had to wear those darn mask.

But I found myself getting use to wearing the mask. I also got use to seeing others wearing the mask. In the beginning it seemed weird seeing everyone in mask. But soon it became weird to see someone without the mask. Multiple times I caught myself staring in horror when someone didn't have their mask.

Well that foreseeable moment came and they shutdown completely. I had the good fortune to be able to do rideshare and food deliver. Which was needed because I wasn't getting my unemployment for some reason. I say good fortune only because of the money. The people I transported were crazy.

I drove a five seater sedan (counting the driver of course) and people were in groups of six wanting to squeeze into my car. They were angry I wouldn't let anyone in the front seat. And said everyone had to have there own seatbelt and a mask. Well I got cursed out, some threaten to kick my but ( lol I wasn't worried), and get me kicked off the app. I must say to my surprise the rideshare companies backed me up every time.

Soon everything was closed expect a few restaurants. So I did food delivery for awhile. These people were also crazy, making unreasonable request. They order food from McDonald's, but want me to also stop by Wal-Mart and see if they have sanitizer. I'm like " ma'am, no I'm not stopping at wollyworld for you."

My card finally came in the mail, and it had my unemployment on it already. So I could finally stop exposing my self to potential carriers. I spent a few weeks staying with my sister. After enjoying her company I decided Atlanta had nothing left for me. I called a good friend of mine in South Carolina and told her I was on my way to stay. Thankfully she said come on.

So I took the long drive to my new home. She is an unbelievably good woman and I'm glad to be with her and her daughter. We had two months to get to know each other, the three of us. Then the unemployment money was starting to get low. Had to start looking for work in my new hometown. It only took two weeks and I found another warehouse job.

It was June of 2020 so covid still had most places shutdown. But this warehouse took your temperature at the door. If you didn't have your own mask they gave you one. They also had a covid program that paid you if you had to go home because of covid. I felt safe, not only from covid but also from the place shutting down.

So my new life went on, every face masked every entry having sanitizer. I think I washed an sanitized my hands a hundred times a day. The job was physically demanding but didn't require much brainpower. Most of my coworkers were rude, but I was ok with that. Didn't want to talk to people I didn't know.

Time marched on as it tends to do. The company I worked for began cutting hours because their stores weren't very busy. So of course I had to fall back on rideshare on my days off. My better half tried to convince me not to pick up people. She want me to do food deliver instead, I convinced her I'd be safe and did both.

News of the vaccine was welcome and I couldn't wait to get mine. Then of course people started saying crazy things about the vaccine. One woman told me the vaccine was a radio chip that the government could use to control or kill people. I gave the pretense of interest only to avoid the shrills from her of me being a brainwashed sheep.

Finally the J&J vaccine was available at a local pharmacy. I gladly rush there and got my shot. Thankfully I didn't have any side effects, I believe it was only women that did. At first being vaccinated didn't mean anything different for me. The first plus came when I got a medical procedure that previously I would have had to wait two weeks in quarantine before getting.

Then in June of this year my job said if you're vaccinated mask are optional. So that's the place I'm in now. For the first time I choose if I wear the mask. I decided I'd take off the mask when I'm on my forklift. But I'd still wear it when around other people. Or if I needed to talk to someone. So for me its come full circle. I feel weird without my mask, and seeing others without theirs.

Ultimately I'm glad it seems we're coming out of this pandemic. (leadership matters) I hope, and believe things will continue to get better. In August my birth month it will be time for my booster. I have no doubt I will there, with a smile on my face. That's just a small piece of my covid 19 experience. I hope you and all those you love are well. We will get through this one day at a time.