Huh, I thought as I got back into my car after loading my groceries into the trunk. Many of you will know that I love doing the groceries each week and for the past 15 months since the pandemic began, the trip to the grocery store has been, my only trip of the week, well except to get the vaccine or other essential trips. But not as Dr. Strang said the time to go to Costco to buy the sandals that are on sale. Huh, I thought, why do I feel sad? Is this pandemic and its effects NEVER going to end?
Remember back to the whole TP shortage situation? Two items per customer? That was even before we had to wear masks. That was when I tried to buy 3 cans of kitty food for my kitty and one was confiscated and the lady scolded me for taking more than two. I tried so hard to explain in French that my kitty ate a can a day and that we were only supposed to go to the grocery store once a week, I tried so hard to explain it and not cry, I was not successful so I bought a case of twelve and that was somehow OK!( The kitty food confiscating lady did not continue to work at my grocery store and my kitty cat was spared of being hungry) Oh, and Martin wasn’t allowed to come with me into the store because it was one member per family and the aisles had become one-way affairs and I kept going the wrong way. And remember when we didn’t know what six feet apart was? And remember the staff could no longer bag our groceries, that was when I learned about not putting eggs in the bag first or bread. Man, we have been through a lot.
Well, somewhere in there is when Robert appeared. I can’t say that I know what he looks like, being masked and all, he probably has no clue what I look like either. But one day he appeared at the front entrance of the grocery store. Bless his heart, his job was to clean shopping cart handles, and direct customer traffic, that is to say, you can come in, you can leave, wash your hands, wear your mask, and do you have a fever? Oh yes, and do you want a big or little shopping cart and have a great day. Can you imagine? Oh and with the door open and the blustery Quebec winter air blowing in.
One of my first encounters with Robert had to do with my favorite pencil. On account of the pandemic, I am the type of grocery shopper that has a weekly menu, with a carefully made out list and each item gets checked off with my pencil. It all started because of the ketchup, I forgot to buy it for burger night and was not allowed to go back to the store, so I learned to make a list and check it 100 times! The rule was once a week grocery shopping and the fear of floating respiratory droplets made it so you could only go down each aisle once. Plus we were only allowed to touch things once. So, when I dropped my favorite pencil while trying to secure my mask and it rolled under the grocery carts, it was kind of a big deal. Robert leaned down and crawled all around the floor and found my pencil for me. It may sound sort of small, maybe it sounds silly to you. To me, it was such an act of kindness!
Each week he greeted me with a broad smile, well now I don’t actually know that do I? What with a mask and all! Interesting it seemed like a big smile. I always asked him how his week had been, mostly good he would say. Sometimes, he would tell me about customers that did not want to wear a mask, or wash their hands or follow the arrows. They would grumble at him and huff and puff as if he personally was responsible for the health protocols and the Coronavirus.
Each week as I waited my turn to leave the store I would wish him a good week and he would squeeze my arm. And that is it! That was this little connection during a time of deep isolation from family, friends and anything else that was once normal. And so it was that when I entered the store today there was no Robert. Only a sign that said wash your hands and wear a mask. It felt empty. No smile, no greeting no c ya next week. I asked after him at checkout and no one really knows where he is.
And that is how I came to be feeling sad and saying huh when I got back to my car. In all the things of the pandemic, this was a sweet little connection. And this man named Robert stood there for more than a year helping protect us all from the virus. How brave he was, how patient, and he made a difference.
Thank you Robert for all you did and a bientot, my friend!