Today—for the first time since, I think, February of 2020—before covid, anyway, I actually went and got a “real” haircut. Perhaps you might one of those who would say I’ve been overly cautious, or perhaps not. But once covid hit, I’ve stayed away from such public places as much as I could. As I told the woman who cut my hair, I’ve been the only really “healthy” person in my near-by family for that entire time—I couldn’t afford to get sick. Or, perhaps even more important, I was going to do everything in my power to avoid killing the people I love.
Take whichever approach you want, all right?
Going to get my hair cut just didn’t cut muster when it came to reasons to get out and about.
Now I’m vaccinated, though, as is the rest of my family. My brother and his family came to town a week ago. Brigid will be flying in soonish. I finally feel confident enough to go out and make that happen. So I did.
It felt good.
And it was nice to have someone do what I think is a great job with it, too.
Mostly, though, I admit if felt strange. The part of Arizona I’m in still has a mask mandate, so I wore a mask through it, as did everyone in the shop. It felt good to be out, and good to have another interesting person to have a conversation with that lasted longer than an exchange with a deli counter worker. But it felt new. Oddly awkward in ways. Is it really safe? Yes, I’m pretty sure it is. My intellect says so. But like a lot of people are finding, I think the transition from “covid” to “after covid” is going to feel weird. Lisa and I have talked about the wearing of masks going forward, and she’s sent me a news article or two about it. I’ll note that when I went to the grocery after getting the hair done, I saw several people without masks.
Really, it’s the first time that I’d seen that in a while.
I’m sure they were supposed to be wearing them, but they weren’t.
Some of them.
Bottom line, it’s still such a fraught thing. I’m not sure how I felt about seeing people like this. It’s probably fine. But you know, we’re still averaging over 650 people dead every day (country wide). Are they at least vaccinated? I don’t know.
Anyway.
That’s what I was thinking as I drove both too and from the shop. I know how things were before. How will they be after?
