It's A Bit Surreal Out There

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Pulling into the Walmart parking lot and stepping out of my truck I heard a voice carrying on the wind. "Thank you for shopping with us today. Be safe and stay healthy. Remember to practice social distancing, and please cooperate with our staff to ensure timely entry into the store. Do not linger. Take only what you need and be respectful of others. If you are feeling sick, please stay at home. Wash your hands often, for at least 20 minutes at a time. Thank you again for shopping at Walmart today. Have a great day." I went toward the entrance and into the barricaded queue, awaiting permission by the masked greeter to enter at my turn. In the store, people moved about somberly, many adorning masks, others not. Everyone seemed mindful of their distance. Perusing the shelves many items were not there. In other aisles, only traces of what was once plentiful were left. People's carts seemed to be fuller than usual. Echoes emitted from the toilet paper aisle as one woman at one end shouted through to someone on the other side that she wanted some ham. Barely a person said hello, and if anyone was smiling it was hard to sense through their facial covers. People seemed unhappy, afraid, and I saw more than a couple people snapping at each other. Husbands to wives, mothers to children, and grandmothers to grandchildren. I found most of what I wanted to get. I did not get any rice. There wasn't any to buy. And while price is normally a big deal for me, I simply picked up what I could and placed it into my cart, not caring a bit at how much it cost. It felt pointless to worry about it. Just a few things to get by for a couple of weeks, I said quietly to myself. I entered the checkout lane, staying behind the placard on the floor reminding me to stay 6 feet from the person in front of me. When it was my turn, I placed my few items on the conveyor belt, paid, and left the store. And when I returned home, I took out all of the items I had bought, and put them away, then quietly went to the sink to wash my hands... For at least 20 minutes as that voice told me to do as I entered the parking lot at Walmart.