Right Now, it’s all About the Masks

“Ohhh…..I’m SO sorry!” Her voice dripped with contrition, thick layers of shame oozing out onto the nearly empty sidewalk. “I forgot my mask when I came out tonight….”

            We’d nearly run into each other, the sidewalk overgrown with wild green hedges, low hanging boughs of a jacaranda, weeds sprouting from the sidewalk cracks. I hadn’t seen her. Maybe cuz of all the flora and fauna, but mostly because I was talking to plush black cat, its golden eyes beckoning for my attentions.  I just hadn’t seen her till she was almost upon me.

And this woman? Why was she distracted? Her dog?  She was walking a large golden retriever who was pulling her along. So, this could have been why she didn’t see me till we almost bumped into each other.  But I think she was momentarily distracted by her own shame at forgetting her mask.

“Oh, it’s okay,” I assure her, dodging the dog and heading out into the street. Yet, even though I felt her shame, there was a part of me that wondered if it was okay. For once, I had my ladybug mask on. I’d been a bit more vigilant about this lately. But hell, no one was usually walking in droves through the Richmond North and East neighborhood. So, I usually didn’t wear it. Or haven’t been, till the lastest mandate from the governor about wearing masks anytime you were out in public.

So, tonight, I let her off. I don’t shame her more. Like what happened to DL the other day at McLaughlin Beach in Berkeley. She’d gone out for an evening stroll. The apartment was stifling her. And the beach was lovely and empty and she’d been daydreaming with her mask off, when a bicyclist got off her two-wheeled steed, walked right in front of DL and then glared at her for not wearing a mask. When DL told me this story, I said, “Well, you were there first! No one had been around. She could have given you some warning before jumping in front of you!” DL had agreed, but I could tell, even over the fuzziness that is Skype, she was embarrassed. To be caught without a mask.

This morning I’m walking down 30^th street, and Two Peas in a Pod are coming toward me. Both masked. They always have been. Embracing the severity of the pandemic from the beginning. I remember when masks weren’t required except for grocery stores and other essential businesses one might have to enter into. But Two Peas, maybe cuz they are elderly, have always donned their bright blue masks. They greet me this morning with a hearty “HELLO” which I return. Yet I’m distracted. Across the street is a woman with a little brown dog pulling her along. And the little brown dog has a black netting over its face. A doggie mask?

Really?

Has it come to this where we have to mask our pets? I can’t imagine the cats in the neighborhood wearing little netted masks. They wouldn’t stand for it. But of course, there are neighborhood animals that have natural masks, such as the racoons, though granted I’m not sure how much protection these built in fur masks provide. And Murray, the mocking bird? Who would want to mask him? Muffling his song?

Though, since this virus was started by bats, maybe they’re the ones who really need to wear little bat masks! Gosh! Can you imagine? Bats look sinister enough as it is. If they were required to wear little black masks over their little pointy muzzles, I’d really run screaming!

All in all, it’s time to mask up whether we like it or not. I don’t like it, but I know it’s necessary to keep the virus from spreading. Gov Newsome drones on everyday with his pie charts and stats, but he’s right, Californians need to hit the ‘dimmer switch’ and turn down the lights on all the opening up of restrictions.

So, mask your dog. Mask your cat. Mask your bats. But most of all, mask yourself. Unless you want to invoke the ire of Masked Wearers everywhere!