From mall rat to human being in just 70 days
/
I went to the mall yesterday for the first time in 70 days. We thought it would be nice to browse a book shop and do some window shopping. We were wrong.
The shops felt oddly crowded for a Sunday afternoon. Could it have been because we were moving to lockdown level 3? Virtually all shops were finally opening the next day. Maybe people anticipated a mad rush and came a day early to avoid it.
It could also just be that everything is relative. I’m not used to sharing indoor space with a bunch of strangers. 99% of people were wearing a mask but browsing while simultaneously staying 6 feet away from everyone else felt awkward and unpleasant.
And then there was the 1%. No, not the super wealthy. The maskless ones. Stranger danger. I let it upset me more than I should. One person not wearing a mask is not the end of the world, but it really got to me.
Turns out it’s difficult to enjoy shopping while your blood is boiling.
I told my wife I had this strange feeling that I was taking an unnecessary risk. I felt like I was being stupid. So we can add a guilty conscience to extreme discomfort.
Altogether then, I would say I enjoyed the idea of getting out with my family but not the experience. I might try get my mall rat fix from smaller centers from now on.
It could also just be that everything is relative. I’m not used to sharing indoor space with a bunch of strangers. 99% of people were wearing a mask but browsing while simultaneously staying 6 feet away from everyone else felt awkward and unpleasant.
And then there was the 1%. No, not the super wealthy. The maskless ones. Stranger danger. I let it upset me more than I should. One person not wearing a mask is not the end of the world, but it really got to me.
Turns out it’s difficult to enjoy shopping while your blood is boiling.
I told my wife I had this strange feeling that I was taking an unnecessary risk. I felt like I was being stupid. So we can add a guilty conscience to extreme discomfort.
Altogether then, I would say I enjoyed the idea of getting out with my family but not the experience. I might try get my mall rat fix from smaller centers from now on.