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Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and still to this day, there has been a lot of complaining about mask wearing. However, you haven’t heard many frustrations about social distancing.
Now that distancing mandates have been lifted, I certainly miss the 6-feet-apart protocol.
Since distancing isn’t being enforced, does that mean you can breathe down someone’s neck?
Apparently it does.
The other day I was at the grocery store, and noticed they had removed the X’s that used to designate 6 feet apart when you stand in line.
When I fell in line, I gave the person in front of me plenty of space to the point where someone asked me if I was in line, so I had to step up closer to the person in front of me.
Then three people got right behind me, and stood as a trio so close to my back that I had three people standing inches—not feet—from my being.
Initially, I kept my cool until they became so close that I couldn’t take it anymore. I started to periodically turn around and give them a somewhat dirty look, like please, back off.
That didn’t work.
When I got to the front of the line, I anxiously waited for a checkout person to wave their flag to allow me to check out. Thankfully, I had room to step forward, and not bother someone waiting in front of me.
I took a big obvious step, and they just all mustered together and stepped up straight behind me, again. I had nowhere to go. I didn’t have the nerve to say anything, which is my problem, and I was so close to being called to the register that I had to just deal.
At the beginning of all this, I struggled with the rules and imposed regulations, and now I struggle more without them because now people are acting ill-mannered. We all need our personal space and shouldn’t need signage to indicate that.
When I got to the cashier, I shared my thoughts on the matter. She said, “I know. People are just over it, I think.”
She was double-masked, which made me think she was cautious, and probably would be bothered by someone up in her personal space too.
I was right. As she continued to check out my broccoli and bags of cheese, we continued to talk, and she shared her own frustrations about when people do whatever they want without the old mandate of social distancing.
When I left the store, I thought about her comment about people being over it.
Some people are over a lot of things.
They are over wearing a mask.
They are over not knowing if they need to wear a mask.
They are over being told they need to be vaccinated.
They are over those who decide not to get vaccinated.
They are over being told they need a vaccination card to go places.
They are over not knowing if they should get a booster shot.
They are over missing out on their favorite restaurant.
They are over washing their hands frequently.
They are over not seeing their elders.
They are over having their kids in virtual schools.
Whether you are someone that struggles with one or five examples on the list, some people are just flat-out over it.
I don’t think people are over social distancing. I think we all kind of liked having our personal space a priority.
Next time you are in line, keep that in mind. We don’t need to breathe down anyone’s neck just because we no longer have to stand on a sticker that signals that we have to.
