You don't need me to tell you what the past year and a half has been like, and if you do, then I envy how much you don't know about the world. However, recently, I got on a plane for the first time and I have to say, I highly recommend people board airplanes during this pandemic time. Why? Because you'll see first hand how these rules are idiotic and frustrating.
I'm not here to tell you how to behave. The one thing I've learned is that people are going to do what they want. Should you wish to wear a mask all the days of your life, that's your choice. Enjoy it. Should you wish to remain in your home and forever get your groceries delivered? Enjoy it. Give someone a paycheck. And if you wish to never travel to see the world, enjoy the world you create. For me, it's a far different scenario.
From the second I entered the airport, even though fully vaccinated, I had my mask. Why? Because it's mandated and I do what I do because I'm being forced to. And what good does it do to argue, my common sense won't translate to anyone else. That's rule #150 that makes no sense, and you can argue with me til the sun retreats into the skyline. You aren't going to reach people who don't want a vaccine shot by telling them to wear a mask after they get a jab. Argue with me if you'd like, but you won't convince me otherwise.
Which brings me to the next step. The TSA check. Newly remodeled to have plastic barriers. Because everyone knows COVID doesn't go up and over plastic but only sideways. At the TSA check, I had to remove my mask for the agent to verify it was me. Because COVID doesn't come when you slide your mask down and breath in front of TSA. Walking to my gate, there are no more coffee shops open, however, you can buy lots of liquor and sit at the bar while you wait to board. COVID only comes to caffeine, not to alcohol. That must be why liquor stores have remained open. Essential liquor..Right. Got it. Since I didn't want to chug down a vodka stinger, I found a seat at the gate. Lo and behold, you must leave the seat next to you vacant to ensure proper social distancing.
And, then it was time to board. Line up according to your number. But - wait, what is this? No social distancing? I'm right next to the person I was sitting one vacant seat away just seconds earlier? I can board the plane with not one empty seat? And, only from the front of the plane! The benefit in boarding from the back of the plane is now gone. It seems COVID comes when you open the back door of the plane to allow better airflow and faster boarding.
Getting to my seat, I hear a woman announce that she's "double vax'd," nothing to worry about. Well, I'm worried that you have to announce your status to everyone. I don't care, take a seat and shut up. I had a rash last week, do you want to know what cream I used to get rid of it?
Then, the woman behind me asked me to help put her suitcase in the overhead because she pulled a muscle and couldn't lift it. I guess she wasn't afraid that I might contaminate her bag, because COVID doesn't comes when someone helps your injured self. And, then the joys of flying kept coming. To order a drink, you had to hold up your fingers! 1- Diet Coke; 2- Coke; 3- 7-Up; 4- Water. No need to speak! The virus comes when you voice your choice, but it does not come when you pull your mask down to drink. Now, if you've flown and this wasn't your experience, and you were allowed to speak, tell me where is the common sense there? It's okay on one airline, but not the other? It's okay to sit two seats away in the boarding area but not in a metal tube in the air? Oh, right...the air is filtered on a plane, it's not filtered in wide open spaces.
Early on in this pandemic, I listened to all the views - I was as worried as the next person. But where was common sense when there was no toilet paper? Did COVID take a shit in your house and make all the paper disappear faster? Did it make you run to the bathroom more than you usually do? Did it take all the cleaning products because you needed ten instead of one? To this day, I have such flashbacks of empty peanut butter shelves that I keep two unopened jars at all time in my pantry.
As much as I want the world back, I'm craving for common sense to make its return. Or, maybe, what I've learned is, there was never any common sense to begin with at all.
