Don’t Take Your Mask Off to Talk on the Phone

Today I made my weekly trip to Trader Joe’s. I go there because they are very strict about how many people can be in the store at the same time and they also ensure that people have masks on before they let them in. Since it is Trader Joe’s they do it in the nicest possible way so people are not that crabby by the time they get in the door.

I did notice that today there were a larger number of old men outside in the “waiting to get in the store line” than normal. A couple of them were grumbling about having to wait. They obviously had not been to Trader Joe’s in the last nine months because you always have to wait.

The most grumpy was one person behind me and he got it right after me and pulled his cart up to the bananas where I was. Right as he got very close to me, blocking me in, he got a phone call. He pulled his mask off to answer the phone.

As he started to talk, mask free, I stopped him and asked if he could put his mask back on and let me out from the banana area where he had me trapped by his cart. He moved, but kept talking sans mask.

People, you can talk with a mask on. People can still understand you with the mask on. Doctors and nurses have been performing complicated surgeries for decades with masks on. Don’t take your mask off at the grocery store. What don’t you understand about a mask mandate. Especially you very old people. You are already the weak link.

And don’t block people in with your cart. Next time I might just back up by mistake and then you might fall and break a hip and we all know that is the beginning of the end for you old guys. I’m just looking out for you.