For thinking what's the fucking point anymore?

[SapphireSeptember]

"You shouldn't say that because you don't know what people are going though!"
Which is what a woman said to me when I asked her to pull up her mask yesterday. Right back at you. How the fuck does she think me and my colleagues feel having to deal with Covidiots like her on a daily basis? (I work in a supermarket.) She had her nose sticking out and kept pulling her mask away from her face, but because she's struggling and trying her best (so am I) that makes it acceptable? She didn't say she was exempt, and honestly if you're wearing a mask wear the damned thing properly! I then overheard her say 'How dare she say that to me?" to one of my colleagues in a really angry voice. I couldn't have been more fucking polite about it if I'd tried!
(I wish I'd said what I was thinking, that I dare because I'm more scared of getting Covid and dying from it than I am of shitty customers, but that might not have helped.)
I'm getting to the stage where I just want to lock myself in my house and refuse to come out until this is all over. I'm having panic attacks, my mental health is shot, and I don't feel like I can do this anymore. I'm also autistic and find certain things hard to cope with. The only reason I go to work is because I work with some lovely people who are keeping me sane at the moment.

Added to that the two women I was working with yesterday were agreeing with her. I spoke to my manager who confirmed I'd done the right thing, and when I told them that they got shirty with me too.

Then there was the fuckwit I dealt with on Friday. Again, I asked him to pull his mask up over his nose. "I don't think so' he said, and pulled one of those sunflower lanyards out of his shirt. Apparently he's exempt because he's autistic, but chooses to wear a mask. (See above, I was also standing next to a colleague of mine who's autistic.) I couldn't quite believe it, either wear one or don't, they don't work if your nose is sticking out, he was with a young woman who was wearing hers properly and another bloke who also had his nose sticking out. (I've noticed in my area it's men who are more likely to want to share their germs with everyone else.)

Then there are the people who walk in without wearing one at all, I was doing my shopping after work and three people, not a mask among them. I asked them if they had masks, the two women pulled theirs out and the bloke said he didn't have one, but of course he didn't bother going to where we keep the spare ones, he just carried on walking along. Twat.

DH works on a military base. They all wear masks, wash hands and social distance but every week, some of them test positive. Masks may help but so many people seem to think of them as infallible.

My son said to me today that he's lost his strength from no sports. He was so strong, active and happy. I'm furious with no where to vent my anger

I hear you OP, I too work in a supermarket, on the shop floor so I'm constantly being leant over by customers trying to get to goods (a simple excuse me would suffice) whole families making a day of it (and making social distancing impossible) not wearing masks and being utterly abusive at times because we can't film the shelves quick enough with alm their 'essentials'
It's soul destroying at times but I've made a deal with myself to try and let it slide off me. They won't change their behaviour and me getting angry and upset only hurts me. I try and keep my distance as much as I can ( I make a huge show of moving out of the way when they get too close), sometimes you can see the penny drop and they apologise.
Ultimately though, I can only keep myself as safe as I can and try not to let it get to me. Easier said than done at times though!

@CutePixie No, the woman wasn't wearing her mask properly at all (it was a customer, not my colleague.) I'm fed up of people walking around not wearing them properly. Alas it's not just the vulnerable (who sometimes still have to go shopping) who are dying from this horrible disease, but nice that you don't think they're worthy of protection (or the rest of us, for that matter.)
I'm not touching the 'get help for your paranoia and anxiety' with a fucking bargepole, nor am I taking out my MH issues on other people. As I said in my OP, I couldn't have been more fucking polite if I'd tried when I asked this woman if she could pull her mask up.

Actually, I'll put this to the MN jury. I said, 'I'm really sorry to be like this, but could you please pull your mask up over your nose?" I was even wringing my hands when I said it!

@Mif4

I'm guessing op will be one of the first in line for her anal swabs

It's truly amazing to me that a 100,000 people are dead and OP has to be spoken to this way for trying to stay alive, while also being considerate of people with lanyards who can't wear masks. It's vile.

@Mif4
Sure, why not? Although I don't actually know what you're on about, as I avoid the news as much as I can.

I also don't think @Mif4 would like to know why an overly large cotton bud up my bum holds no fear for me. That might be TMI!

Thank you @Frequentflier for your support, and for everyone else who's been supportive!

[quote SapphireSeptember]@CutePixie No, the woman wasn't wearing her mask properly at all (it was a customer, not my colleague.) I'm fed up of people walking around not wearing them properly. Alas it's not just the vulnerable (who sometimes still have to go shopping) who are dying from this horrible disease, but nice that you don't think they're worthy of protection (or the rest of us, for that matter.)
I'm not touching the 'get help for your paranoia and anxiety' with a fucking bargepole, nor am I taking out my MH issues on other people. As I said in my OP, I couldn't have been more fucking polite if I'd tried when I asked this woman if she could pull her mask up.

Actually, I'll put this to the MN jury. I said, 'I'm really sorry to be like this, but could you please pull your mask up over your nose?" I was even wringing my hands when I said it![/quote]
You came across as quite aggressive in your OP. The fact that you said I don’t think the vulnerable are worth protecting? Of course they are, but your anxiety about dying of covid19 is quite extreme. I have a family member with organ failure and elderly grandparents. None of them are as paranoid as you.

Not many people who are healthy are dying of covid, which is a good thing. Hopefully we find better treatments for those who are hospitalised. Times are tough and confusing and the gov keeps changing its mind. Let’s not judge others and cause divisions.

@Derekhello Solidarity. Luckily I'm not at work tomorrow, and Tuesday is a good day cos I mostly avoid customers. It's awful and I hate it. It feels like people are taking out their frustration on us now, and it's not our fault. We're just trying to keep ourselves and the customers safe.

I hear you OP, my mum works in retail and has started putting a barrier around herself when working to stop people crowding her- she often does the whoopsies and even pre Covid had people physically fighting over them. She said enough is enough and has taken the steps to force people to stay away.

So many people without masks and no distancing is not ok. If they're exempt from face coverings they can social distance. DM doesn't bother challenging as people are awful, but she can make sure they stay away from her. Can you do anything to keep customers far enough away?

I'm past caring at this point. Just done with the whole thing.

One of my relatives lives in a country where you have to wear a mask every time you leave the house, no ifs, buts or excuses. Guess what? Everyone seems to manage it.
So yes, I'm totally with you OP. People are pathetic.

Needs to be a law change - no mask no entry, with security to police it.

Exempt people need a proper document not a lanyard bought off the internet or to be able to self exempt.

YADNBU! People need to get a grip

@CutePixie Well duh, I'm venting. I wouldn't say this stuff to the people I'm talking about. I'm human, I need a fucking outlet for this shit or I'd explode.

Let’s not judge others and cause divisions.

Yes, let's not. You keep using the word paranoia. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

@Thedogscollar

Omg OP I hear you. We have had partners on our ward refusing to wear masks telling us all it's a load of rubbish. I work in maternity and it was prior to this lockdown when the woman could have their partner visit for 2 hours a day. Total bloody morons but you can't say it to their faces but you can mouth it under your mask

Then those partners shouldn't be there, they serve little purpose and are putting more important people in danger. If they think it's a load of rubbish ask where thet studied for their PHD in communicable diseases.

God that fucking awful expression ‘Covidiot’ that can get in the bin.

@Donoteatthekittens

I cannot wait until this is all over and nobody mentions masks EVER AGAIN!

They’ll find something else 😭

I absolutely agree, OP, some people are sadly total idiots. I’d be going nuts in your position. I was horrified at the groups shopping today, whole families, multiple couples, three housemates, I think. There’s me and the dh taking turns to shop. I think it would be useful if supermarkets employed more security, I don’t see why you should be taking the flak.

Was reading sympathetically until you got to the Autistic bloke - the many seminal discussions I've had to get autistic ds to accept wearing a mask when he has to. Which is hardly ever now we're locked down.

But he's got me to do most of the mask-wearing lockdown activities such as shopping - but I don't even want to think about what he might do if I wasn't here, generally, let alone during a Covid Pandemic.

I still sympathise though OP - it's really hard not to get pissed off right now - general February pissed offness, plus nearly a year of shitness, tests even the best of us.

I was doing non-supermarket shopping in my town a couple of weekends ago - I went to the butchers and then the greengrocers. In both places I followed an elderly lady who had her mask over her mouth, and not her nose. She was also singing to herself, chatting cheerfully to staff, and paying from a biscuit tin full of coins. The staff in both shops (behind screens at all times - both shops are small and don't have staff on the shop floor) were lovely to her, and I couldn't help thinking that any rules about no mask, no entry, need to take account of people like her.

I have ASD. Masks make me feel extremely unwell bit I do my neat and so what you describe others doing which is wearing it and adjusting or temporarily removing. To me it seems better than not wearing it at all and I’m trying my absolute best I feel like even if I can keep it on 50% of the time it’s better than not wearing it at all.

I think rather than focusing on what other people with ASD are doing you should maybe invest in a really good mask for yourself and wear it all the time if you’re able to and are that worried

Neat-bit

People know how to wear masks, I don't think it's okay for you to tell them to pull it up etc.
I struggle wearing a damn mask and I will wear it how its supposed to be worn but not every one can. My friend has sleep apnea, she can't wear a mask, you think she's not scared of catching Covid?
We all are okay. Stop being so irate. Protect yourself, you cannot control others.