Mask On, Mask Off, The Masker

 Slowly I am adjusting back to wearing masks indoors again. I got accustomed to masks at the beginning of the pandemic and I can get accustomed to masks again. I keep a mask attached to my car keys which are attached to my wallet. I am vaccinated but I don't know for sure that I won't carry the virus and give it to someone who isn't vaccinated so I mask up as I enter stores or restaurants or skyway hallways or the YMCA or even at Saver's (thrift store) where I was looking for gold shiny things to buy for a pair of treasure chests I am making for my grand girls (keep that a secret). In the store the Police are singing "Every Breath You Take." I can play that catchy tune on my piano and I know every single word to that song and with my mask on no one can see me mouthing the words. That song has to be the theme song to all the stalkers in the world. Just as I come up to a bag of shiny gold, pink, green, and blue beads for a mere two dollars, this tall blond millennial, who was singing the same song only out loud, says, "I found exactly what I need!"

I say, aloud, with my mask on, "Me Too!" We smile at each other. She cannot see my mouth but I smile anyway and we walk away still singing "Every Breath You Take." I sing silently. She sings aloud.

Later, I am browsing in the pretty bottle section of Saver's and a huge yawn comes over me. I move to cover my mouth with my hand. Hold the phone! I don't have to cover my mouth when I yawn in public when I am wearing a mask. How did I not realize this before?

Early in the pandemic I would judge others who wore their masks below their nose. Now I find myself doing the same thing!  When did this start? How did this happen? Consarnit anyway!

Last week I was driving to the YMCA and the wildfire smoke was really thick. My eyes were watering from the stench of a boreal forest fire. So I put my mask on in the parking ramp of the Holiday Inn and wore my mask the half block walk to the Y in order to catch the smoke particles in the air and keep them out of my lungs. Then I kept the mask on in the Y until I took a shower before going swimming. After swimming and after getting dressed again, I put the mask on to leave the dressing room, walk outside, get into my car, realize I forgot my parking pass, walk back to the Y, get the parking pass, walk back to my car,  drive to the Ace hardware store, drive home from the hardware store, and then walk inside my house and then I took off the mask.

Someone in my family shall remain nameless but she got a mask tan! A farmer's tan from wearing a mask! She has a badge of honor from the sun for being a responsible adult!

I remember my Grandmother Leona telling me once about how her house was marked with a quarantine sign and how her family couldn't leave the house. Was that the Spanish flu? And why did they call it the Spanish flu when it didn't start in Spain? I should research this more once I have the time. Maybe I can do more family research once I am retired. 

Wait, I am retired. I'll do it once I am retired and less tired.

I really wish I wore a mask that day when I spray painted the two balsa wood treasure chests with metallic gold paint. On the fourth coat of spray paint I wasn't paying attention when I picked up the can. Pity the fool who picks up a can of metallic gold spray paint backwards and sprays herself in the face! I am glad I was wearing my reading glasses though but a mask would have kept that paint out of my nose and mouth. Talk about shiny and gold and nasty!