CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The new normal is going to be hard. It’s Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo, so I placed an online pick-up order at one of my favorite taco spots for lunch. Maybe this wasn’t my best idea.
First of all, I forgot my mask. I have at least four masks, and I forgot all of them. Sheesh. In a world full of lurking coronavirus molecules, one should never forget one’s mask.
When I got to the restaurant, I was a little early, but I walked inside to see what the pick-up process was like. There were probably about seven customers inside. Some were waiting to order and others were picking up.
People were social distancing for the most part. Some people had on masks and some didn’t. The employees didn’t. There were chairs in front of the ordering counter between the customers and employees, so that wasn’t a huge issue to me, but I can see other people having a problem with employees not wearing masks.
Since I didn’t have a mask, and more people were coming in, I decided to wait outside until my order was ready. The restaurant got busier while I was outside. When I went back inside it was more crowded and the employees seemed overwhelmed by the amount of online orders and in-person customers.
Another employee, who seemed like the manager, showed up and began helping. She had a mask on.
There were probably a dozen customers inside the store at this point and the majority had masks on. The customers seemed to be getting a little frustrated by having to wait and everyone kept approaching the counter to pay or inquire about their order. I’ve noticed that even the most well-intentioned people lose focus when they’re hungry, so social distancing was beginning to break down a bit.
About five minutes after my pick-up time, my order was ready. I swooped in from the back of the store and grabbed my prepaid order with my sweatshirt over my face, without saying a word and scooted out the side door.
I think I should add, I don’t think the employees did anything wrong or unsafe and the food was great, as usual.
The whole experience made me realize how much more we all have to think about when we’re in public now.
I think it’s going to be hard to maintain social distance in many stores and restaurants. The few times I’ve been to the grocery store since the quarantine began, I’ve been surprised by how many people were in the stores and how close together we all were. My family has decided to have groceries delivered which, I know, may not be an option for everyone.
I wonder how mask wearing and social distancing will be enforced in public? How will office interactions change? Will all employers require masks in common areas? What jobs won’t come back? When will schools and daycares reopen and how do they plan to keep children safe? Will the kids be able to play on the playground? How long until we can safely attend church, sporting events or concerts? I’m sure we all have so many questions that will have to be answered, collectively, as we navigate through this new experience.
We will also learn more about the coronavirus and its effects, which will impact our behavior.
Some choices will be made individually, however. I may not hurry back to malls or to sit-down restaurants. I currently have no desire to spend time inside an airplane cabin or on a cruise ship, which I enjoy.
Many people are frustrated for any number of reasons. For example, I have my two-month-old baby, four-year-old, wife and mother-in-law at my house, while I attempt to work-from-home. Work-life balance is a thing of the past. It’s just life these days. Anxiety is high and there is no normalcy.
I suspect others have it much worse. Some people have lost their jobs and are wondering how they will pay bills or where their next meal will come from. Some have underlying illnesses that make them more susceptible to the coronavirus and don’t want to risk public interactions. I’m sure their level of discomfort is far beyond my own. Everyone’s life has been disrupted in some way.
I just wanted tacos, but I felt like I made a mistake, that could endanger myself and my family, by forgetting my mask and going to a semi-crowded restaurant. Seemingly small actions now have much bigger implications.
North Carolina could partially reopen as soon as this weekend and I think people will be happy to have more freedoms, but cautious due to the possible health risks that still exists.
No matter what decisions are made by governments, companies, or individuals, the new normal is going to be a difficult adjustment, as the reality constantly changes, for better or worse.
