Queen of Light Took Her Bow and Then She Turned to Go

Store bought fresh ravioli with jarred sauce for dinner

Back to my retail job in Phase 1, pre-customers for a full week and I'm noticing that even with the best measures put in place for safety, it's impossible to keep surfaces sanitary at the levels required.  I tried the gloves and realized I'd need to use about 4 to 5 pairs a day at least and after considering the amount of waste, I just couldn't do it.  Your cell phone doesn't work well with them anyway.  When you go to the restroom, you'd either need to take them off and reuse them or just throw them out.  Washing hands is still the best but the recommended rule of every half an hour goes out the window when you're busy.  We were each signed to a computer station but after the first few days, were called to help in the warehouse where we all touched carts, product, paperwork, bags, and more items multiple times, not to mention crammed together in smaller spaces where social distancing became impractical.  The sanitizer bottles that were everywhere the first week, went missing more times than not in the breakroom, so the table you sat at may or may not have been wiped down from the previous eater.  You gotta eat and even though we're 6ft apart, no one is masked while dining.  It's the only time to socialize so by the 2nd day, many folks stopped by my table and chatted unmasked, more like 4 ft away.   I've been sick of course so my fear level is not as high as some of my coworkers but we don't know that you can't get this again. I never understood if a significant viral load made us even more susceptible like the nurses.   As they call back more and more staff it's impossible for the cleaning crews to keep the bathrooms at the level you'd need to keep germs in check.  Most are commuters into Red Hook from buses and subways.  My level of anxiety is low but I do believe we are fighting a hopeless battle the minute customers return.  A sanitized NYC is unattainable.   Jobs will be very hard to come by but I can't help but consider other options for employment in this new reality. I'm sure there is lots of opportunity for a 58 year old with no marketable skills. 

But for now, on my day off a Strawberry waffle cone from Emack and Bolios after a light lunch salad is all I want to focus on.