Thanks to the Governor’s fear of the Covid, most of us covered by collective bargaining contracts and funded by the few essential taxpayers left in the state are being forced to hide at home for four days of every week; however, once per week we are compelled to trek to the office to work in our Dilbert cubicles. This is supposed to be the “new normal;” at least until the election next week is decided.
Anyway, yesterday was my usual day to show-up in person to the office. On the way, part of my routine is to hit the drive-thru at a local fast-food place that is open at 6 AM. Today I pulled up and was greeted by the usual employee on duty at that time of the morning. I like this employee. He knows exactly which condiments that I want without ever having to ask me. Since I only go there once a week, color me impressed.
Today, I really wish that I had filmed the activity that I observed. The employee was equipped with a face mask and plastic or latex gloves. Typical Covid gear these days.
Anyway, he takes my credit card so he can swipe it in their reader. Then he goes to the shelf with pre-measured bags of coffee. He puts a filter in the removable part of the coffee maker, tears open the coffee, pours it, and walks back to the coffee maker. On the way he drops the empty foil pouch that seconds ago had been full of ground coffee beans. With one hand, he picks up the foil wrapper off of the floor and with the other, he inserts the fully loaded coffee assembly into the maker and hits the switch. Several seconds later, he arrives with a bucket labeled ice only and starts to pour it into the ice freezer next to the drive thru window. In order to pour out the ice, he places the fingers of both hands inside of the ice bucket so he can get the right grip angle to pour the ice into the freezer. Next, he arrived at the bagging station with my order. He places my food in the appropriately sized bag, adds napkins and condiments and then walks to the drive thru window. He hands me my food and then returns my credit card with the register receipt.
I then drove away from the drive thru just marveling. It never occurred to this guy to wash his hands at any point in this process. Why should he? After all he’s wearing gloves. Trust me, the next customer will get the same treatment. Working the register and handling the cash and credit cards of a myriad of people, preparing drinks, bagging cooked food, touching the freight, the floor, and the food, no issues here. Oh, I should add that his duty on Friday mornings when not working the drive thru is unloading the supplies from the Sysco truck in the parking lot.
Remember a few months ago when people were worried that Covid could live on surfaces for weeks at a time? Clearly no application in this context.
Folks part of me would like to flame on the guy but his sanitation habits are just as ineffective as wearing a mask and how many idiots are wearing them just as worthlessly?
I have given up on counting the number of people wearing a mask when driving a car; especially, with no passengers. Ditto for people walking their dogs or bike riding by themselves. Heck, I even see people jogging with a mask on. What’s the point?
If the employee is “safe” and all the customers at risk, what sort of corporate policy is wearing a mask and gloves? Truthfully, washing with soap and water is superior to all this other unnecessary and useless stuff. Only people that believe in global warming or socialism would be stupid enough to think that a mask or other symbol of oppression helps anything. The only reason many places require a mask is not based on science but a fear of the tyranny of tort lawyers and activist judges.
I’ll probably go to this fast-food place again. I’m not that worried. I ask God to bless my food before I eat it and I think trusting in His protection and providence is much better than putting my faith in Gavin Newsom’s ego, his random color codes and all that follows from them.