Saturday, April 11, 2020

The Barest of Guidelines




You don’t eat as much lamb in the U.S. as we used to in China.  You could buy individual frozen lamb chops from the local market and grill them one by one for a fabulous Xinjiang barbecue.  But here they wanted an ungodly sum for a crown of lamb.  And I wasn’t aloud to buy the chops individually.  I pondered buying it and separating them out but doing the math and decided to buy a package of pre-cut lamb pieces  instead. 



I visited Tops today.  It isn’t pleasant to shop with gloves and a mask.  It also feels silly when no one else is complying the barest of guidelines.  My sister in Brooklyn has had her ex and her son both test positive.  We’ve heard the University down the road has a case.  And now, must worrisome of all, the retirement community my dad and his wife are in, now has a case.  I pray otherwise, but this may spread quickly in our community. 



Down at the post office the guy is not wearing a mask.  But they expect we stay six feet back on the designated carpet.  I need tape and a box (sending masks to Brooklyn) and he points out what I need to do.  I worry for the young guy behind the counter with the remarkable tattoo on his forearm.  Isn’t he and all the staff concerned about working with so many different people?  One wonders how effective the post office has been at protecting their employees.  A gloves alone enough to protect them?    

In most of the places we visit, here in Ulster County, no one is wearing a mask.  What about all these check out cashiers at Tops?  A few are keeping themselves protected but most seem oblivious.  The cleavage between people who are informed and have means to withdraw from society and those who don't seem to know any better, and have no choice but to show up for work because they have immediate bills to pay seems to be widening.  I heard the announcement that they were hiring part time workers.  I'm sure they are.  Checker-Player-in-Chief does press conferences without a mask.  Are these people looking to him for guidance?



Saturday 4/04/20


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