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Original poster

Taken aback by shop assistant's comment

55 replies

Maskingup · 01/02/2023 20:38

So today I needed a couple of items from a local store. It was quite busy and I chose to wear a mask. Anyway I get to the counter and she asks me am I off somewhere in particular all masked up. I said "No but a member of my family is suffering with Long Covid and really doesn't want to get it again, and to be honest I don't either". I found her comment a bit weird considering we've got an NHS service on it's knees with so many patients with Covid and flu 🤧. Do you think she was being a bit passive aggressive, because she doesn't like customers wearing masks? 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:

LozzaChops101 · 01/02/2023 22:27

Making conversation! A lot of the customers who wear masks where I work are doing so because they’re trying to avoid catching it before a big holiday/event. I don’t think she’ll have meant anything by it.

WinterFoxes · 01/02/2023 22:31

I would have assumed her comment was related to what you were buying. 'Are you off somewhere?' (nice) if you were buying flowers or wine e.g. to a friend's for dinner or to a party if you were buying a dress or on holiday if you were buying suncream or a swimsuit etc.

HairyKitty · 01/02/2023 22:36

I think she was a little rude, she shouldn’t have said anything. Buts there’s no reason to think she intended to be rude

Original poster

Maskingup · 01/02/2023 22:45

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I just thought it was a bit weird and am grateful for different peoples take on it.

OP posts:

LotteLomax · 01/02/2023 22:53

AnybodyAnywhere · 01/02/2023 21:22

When you wear a mask you are protecting others from you, not yourself from others.
I must admit that I don’t wear a mask anymore but I do feel sort of grateful to those who do, maybe they’re a bit under the weather and don’t want to spread.

She probably didn’t mean anything by it, wouldn’t worry about it.

What rubbish. My family and I have masked since the outset of the pandemic as none of us want covid. We wear high quality masks and have never once caught the darn virus. We wear them to protect ourselves.

magicthree · 01/02/2023 22:59

She only asked if you were going somewhere in particular, no doubt just making small talk. Certainly nothing to be taken aback by.

FRIDAYNIGHTSS · 01/02/2023 23:05

I wore a mask recently cause I just got dermal fillers and wanted to hide them during the healing period haha - I couldn’t even find a shop that sold the disposable ones and had to dig out a reusable one

HeavenIsAHalfpipe · 01/02/2023 23:06

Interesting thread @Maskingup I can't figure out if she was being passive aggressive or not as I wasn't there... But her asking 'are you off somewhere special all masked up' was a stupid question, whether it was 'making conversation' or not. She was blatantly asking why you have a mask on.

Me and DH have been wearing masks a lot lately. 3 months on the trot (Nov/Dec/Jan) we have caught something... a bug or virus, and have been very ill for a week or two with each one. I have no intention of catching any fucking thing else (nor does DH) as we have 3 very important events going on in late Feb, March, and April, and we can NOT be ill for them!

When we were wearing our masks in the supermarket last week, we did get a few 'looks' and we were not imagining it. One couple - about 10 years older than us, so just past middle age, just stared at us. Stared and stared... whispered to each other behind their hands and stared. DH noticed it and so did I. We just stared back. I thought 'go on, say something I dare you LOL.' We have also had a few other people looking us up and down, and staring. As I said, we were not imagining it.

If I want to wear a mask to protect myself - and others against anything I may be carrying, that's up to me. Got fuck all to do with anyone else. Fucking weirdos! 😆

Alwayswonderedwhy · 01/02/2023 23:12

I would think she was just making conversation and maybe thought you were going abroad and didn't want to risk getting covid?

Why would you think she was being passive aggressive?

mondaytosunday · 01/02/2023 23:18

It's an odd thing to ask considering plenty of people still wear masks when out and about. But I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Blinky21 · 01/02/2023 23:26

It's a weird comment for her to make, but maybe she's a weird person. I still see quite a lot people in masks where I live (large city) and don't think anything of it

MaydinEssex · 01/02/2023 23:35

I wore masks when it was compulsory to do so, but stopped as soon as they were no longer compulsory, I went to hospital recently and was asked to wear one as they had Covid in the hospital, I did, but only not to appear difficult, but after seeing several others inside the hospital maskless I took it off.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 03/02/2023 12:14

I tend to assume people wearing masks are CEV or have Covid now so maybe that's what she was wondering too. I mean it's none of her business but just making conversation in a shop

CrashyTime · 30/08/2023 15:41

You should have said you were off to rob the bank next door and did she have any large bags you could buy.

SamPM · 04/01/2024 03:36

Masks don't work, this has been proven repeatedly now. Why do you wear one?

Britneyfan · 04/01/2024 03:57

OP, I’m a GP and I would have taken it exactly as you did, a passive aggressive comment by someone who weirdly has some sort of issue with other people choosing to wear masks, when some people have very reason to. And yes the NHS is currently under extra pressure due to COVID and flu among other things, I’m not sure why someone would take issue with that statement. There are a lot of people on mumsnet who would like to pretend that COVID was all a hoax and you seem to have had a lot of responses from that side of the debate so I am providing a viewpoint from another side!

Fraaahnces · 04/01/2024 05:03

Good on you for masking up. She was probably an anti-masker. I have started wearing one again at work because I am clinically vulnerable and I work with the public in very large numbers. I have begun seeing more masks out and about and feel like it’s a good thing.

Trinity65 · 04/01/2024 06:04

Fucking hell
YABU

Gnomegnomegnome · 04/01/2024 06:08

SamPM · 04/01/2024 03:36

Masks don't work, this has been proven repeatedly now. Why do you wear one?

Because she wants to.

I don’t wear one unless I have to because I don’t want to.

@Maskingup I think that you are overthinking it.

renomeno · 04/01/2024 06:17

This thread is from February 23

theduchessofspork · 04/01/2024 06:24

She’s making conversation OP

Bestyearever2024 · 04/01/2024 06:32

Maskingup · 01/02/2023 20:47

Also never posted anything before, so thought I'd give it a go

Gotta watch out for the comments on MN 🤣🤣

More than likely the shop person was just making conversation. I expect people tend to wear masks before they go away on holiday to avoid catching general viruses and she sees it a lot

Bestyearever2024 · 04/01/2024 06:33

renomeno · 04/01/2024 06:17

This thread is from February 23

Edited

I really do need to check dates before I post 🙄

Vettrianofan · 04/01/2024 06:36

She was just making an observation and passing the time of day OP 🙂

Berlinlover · 04/01/2024 06:38

YABVU but mask wearers tend to be odd anyway.

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