[lsc]

so wait, is it OK to use masks now? last time I went out with a mask I got chewed out by a clerk. It was... deeply weird. (I mean, I understand the guy had probably had a hellish day and that probably had more to do with it than anything, and I apologized and did what I could to diffuse the situation. But it was deeply weird, 'cause normally the economic inequality here in the bay area means that I'm treated really well.)

[subroutine]

When was this? Last week Trump said this was overblown; yesterday he said he was ringing alarm bells before anyone else. Seems like a lot of tunes have changed in just the last few days.

Also I'm curious what did this person say to you? Seems like a weird thing to get upset about for any reason.

[lsc]

This was the day before the shelter in place order was announced. The guy was going on under his breath about how people don't know how this thing was transmitted, that you aren't supposed to wear them if you aren't sick. He said it in this really sort of stressed out and angry kinda way. I apologized in what I hope was a really sincere kind of way

(I mean, I... am not going to be angry at someone who works retail at a time like this, short of maybe getting physically attacked. I know I'm feeling bad 'cause I am working from home and have to deal with my own lack of discipline and have to cook for myself now. I have top-shelf medical insurance and unlimited sick time. I can only imagine that those on the front lines, getting sneezed on all day with none of those benefits are in bad shape.)

Dude said "It's not your fault, it's the media" and generally seemed mollified - I mean, if this were facebook, I'd fire back something about how I don't see how his media is any more accurate than mine, considering neither of us are experts... and if you are supposed to wear a mask if you are sick, well, almost none of us actually know if we are sick. But this was a face to face interaction, so I sincerely wished him good health and finished the paperwork (before quarantine, I'd use 'order online, pick up in store' orders to minimize time in store)