“I gotta ask you, how long do you plan to keep wearing that mask?”
That was from Peppermint Patty here at Fraggle Rock.
“Another one to two years,” I said.
Her partner, Salmon Patty, said, “May I ask why you wear a mask?”
“I’m immunocompromised. And it signals to people to give me space.”
Salmon Patty said, “Well I am immunocompromised and obese. I never once wore a mask and I’m fine.”
Salmon and Peppermint both rattled off how many times they’ve had COVID and they are still here. One vaxxed, one not.
Because I am who I am, I said, “I am happy you got through it and you are doing well now.”
Also because I am who I am, I might have bragged, “I had it exactly zero times.”
Salmon and Peppermint bragged that it was nothing and we don’t know why everyone was so afraid of nothing.
I got away from them as fast as I could. But it’s still bugging me.
Maybe it’s because the number of deaths that hit me personally is now on two hands. And the list of long-haul symptoms from others I know gets weirder by the week.
Or maybe it’s that when I said I am glad you are OK now, it would have been nice for them to say I’m glad that you are OK too.
Anyway. I don’t have high expectations of these people. I’m just glad they haven’t tried pushing their way into my elevator like so many others have.
Maybe though they can take a moment and tell The Others, hey, this shit isn’t over for some people. Show them some decency if you can’t cough up anything resembling respect.