Back to Reality

I did it. I went out. I survived. But it wasn't easy.

The "bar scene" is not my favorite any day of the week. Twelve days past the removal of COVID restrictions was simply the icing on the cake.

I find it reassuring in the stores to see most of the staff still wearing their masks. The plexiglass between the cashier and customer remains. Most people in the line up remain two metres apart. Even without the stickers and arrows directing traffic in the store aisle, the stores I have frequented remain somewhat "distanced". 

In the bar? No such thing. 

None of the staff wore masks. Tables are close together. No plexiglass in sight. To hear someone talk, you had to be two inches apart. Two metres? Not a chance.

People, people, people. Hugging people. Shoulder to shoulder people. So many people. 

But you know? You get used to it. Will I feel more comfortable after two weeks pass and I don't hear this bar was a COVID hot spot? You bet. But once I was in it, I surrendered to whatever fate may have in store.

I'm fully vaccinated. The people I went out with were vaccinated. One can only assume the majority of the people in the bar were vaccinated. The risk of infection is minimal. I know this.

All of this on my mind and there was ONE thing that superseded all of my worries:

People ARE still coloring their hair!! I went out in public with nine months worth of roots on full display. I felt like my "silver" hair caught what little light there was and reflected it in all its glory.

My circle has been so small since COVID. I really thought the world would take this chance to let their true colors show. 

I was wrong. Reality is not all it's cracked up to be.