Since Covid-19 hit I have been shopping for 2 elderly friends. Both are seriously ill, one in a wheel chair the other ill from Cancer and receiving treatments at home. I would not allow these 2 people the chance of being among people and the virus in their vulnerable states in public places and would often describe to them what I have to do to shop now.
I have to .....
1. Stand in line to enter Grocery Stores, while an attendant wipes down my cart and gives it to me Sterilized. I am asked to use hand sanitizer when entering the store, or have disposable vinyl gloves and a mask on.
2. I may have to wait outside for a while in a line up due to a limit of how many people are shopping in the store at one time .... people leave then people are allowed in.
3. I have to look at the floor and follow lines so I follow a grid in which to shop and not clog aisles and be too close to other shoppers. In each aisle there is also a 2 meter tape line showing us to stay 6 feet apart from the next shopper.
- DON'T TRY AND SNEAK DOWN or up AN AISLE that has arrows showing north or south entrance and exits when trying to snag just ONE can or box of something and you are tired and don't want to follow rules or arrows anymore.
You can get yelled at by store employees or even other shoppers if you go the wrong way down an up aisle. 2 lady's told me they were threatened to be banned or barred from a grocery store by the Manager because they didn't follow the arrows marked on the floor. Talk about SEVERE!
If you're going to sneak the wrong way up or down an aisle ... have a "look out friend" who is guarding your cart somewhere safe and out of the way while you casually walk backwards and whistle to yourself trying to look inconspicuous while hoping to snag that box of mac & cheese you need for some horrible cold pasta dish you want to make.
4. Be prepared to stand in line 2 meters apart while you wait to check out .... there will be line ups. ODDLY there are a huge new group of cashiers in every store I enter these days. I suppose the company's want to get us in and out ASAP so they can serve as many people as they can safely.
The staff are pretty friendly and enjoyable to talk to .... they wipe down the counter and take your money or card transaction while they stand behind a plexiglass shield to protect them from us and vice versa.
Some stores prefer credit or bank card transactions and don't want my stinky dirty money. Don't get me started on bank fees for this .... GRRR.
Once I'm outta the store I pack my purchases into the car return the cart to some places where an employee starts to wipe down the cart and stack it for the next customer. I like that some stores have an employee who will meet you half way out in the parking lot to relieve you of your store shopping cart.
This is NICE! and never use to happen before Covid.
When I drive home my friend and I load up a couple of shopping carts of things for our older friends and deliver it to them happily, we have a cuppa tea and some sweet nosh to munch and have a nice visit while retelling our adventure in the Grocery store and what's different now.
I told my one friend in the wheel chair they would hate shopping in grocery stores right now .... well she had the opportunity to see this first hand just last week when her daughter took her to No Frills during (Senior Hours) 7am in the morning.
She laughed as she told me she couldn't follow the arrows .... she is in her late 70's and has been shopping for herself and her family for over 60 years. Her mind is focused on buying what she wants and needs so she looks up at the shelves and try's to see if there is something that might catch her eye and she might be interested in. Now she says she has to look up and down and up and down and watch which aisle she enters or exits and its exhausting.
She said she doesn't like this new world shopping for food.
2020 SUCKS ..... but maybe that's just me.
How about you? What are your shopping experiences like now?