No need to be careful?

I might be a bit angry.

I am a peace-loving person most of the time. I am, I suspect, what’s known as conflict-avoidant.

But I’ll admit this pandemic is making me touchy.

I go to the grocery store once every two weeks. I have a list, I follow it, I wear a mask and I’m vigilant about taking precautions, My heart goes out to the people working there. There are way too many people in that store without masks. People pushing carts, bumping against other people. People acting as though nothing is going on, like there’s no need to be careful.

I can’t avoid social media. I have to post updates there on the virus for my job. Shortly after posting summaries of the governor’s daily press conferences, the comments start appearing.

“I hate him,” one writes.

“Welcome to the communist state,” says another.

“You can’t believe a word he says,” concludes a third.

Protesters gather, demanding to be allowed to get their hair cut, see their friends, go back to work. And then more positive virus cases are announced.

It’s discouraging.

There’s a convenience store in our town. I don’t go, but my partner does. He is, unfortunately, a smoker. Even a pandemic hasn’t managed to kill that addiction.

“There was a sign on the door asking anyone who comes in to wear a mask and maintain social distancing,” he said. “Not one of them did.”

I’m not too sure about our species sometimes.