How many times have you been running errands, gotten out of your car, been halfway to the door of the store and realized you forgot your mask? I know! Happens to me all then time, and I see it happen to others, too. There’s this quick step routine we do. Sigh and mutter to yourself as you pivot. Walk briskly back to the car while taking your frustration out on the key fob and the car door. Reach in and grab your mask, slam the door and aggressively lock it. Put the darn thing on as you fast march back towards the store. You probably only lost a couple minutes of time, but it seems like more. It’s a pain in the patootie. But here’s the deal: we sometimes bring our snippy attitude into the store.
Working as a cashier down to the A&P means I’ve been on the frontlines of this thing since the beginning. I know that most people want to play by the rules, but that means they have to pay attention, which many are not. It’s real easy for them to drift closer to you or the next person in line than they should. As a cashier, there’s a lot to manage, and some handle it better than others.
Charlie found this out on his last visit to Home Depot.
Toxic Teresa
“Find what you need?”
That’s what she’ll ask
Though it sounds a bit muffled
From under her mask
Ringing you up
She does with finesse
But under that cool
I’m sensing distress
Tell me, Teresa
(The name on her tag)
What about people
Who bring their own bag?
“Oh, they gotta pack
Whatever they bring.
They can’t just expect us
To handle their things!”
With gloves on her hands
She looks ‘round the store
“Who knows who has touched
All these items before?
“And whatever germs
Or diseases they’ve got?
It all gets unloaded,
Deadly or not.
“Don’t matter how good
You bottle or box it,
Everything in here’s
Probably toxic.”
I thought as I looked
At my drill bits and such
Maybe I don’t really
Need ‘em that much
“Don’t worry!” she barks,
“You will be fine.”
Then, “Find what you need?”
To the next guy in line
I scurried away
And didn’t get caught
As I rubbed disinfectant
On what I had bought
I covered my hands
And my face with the goop
I think I’ll be fine,
But here’s the scoop:
Your chance of survival
Will only increase-a
The sooner you flee
From Toxic Teresa!
My biggest survival tip is to pay attention and be kind, to one another and to yourself. And ice cream. Ice cream always helps.
That’s it for now. Stay safe and catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Charlie and Ida’s Survival Tips