Avoiding the Confrontation

 This past week we had our first anti-maskers in the store.

Which on the one hand, I'm halfway surprised that we haven't encountered more anti-maskers sooner. 

On the other hand I'm grateful that this was our first encounter of having to deal with customers refusing to wear a mask.

I mean it probably has helped us that we have multiple signs in the entryway that state that customers are required to wear masks here.

But yah we had this cowboy couple come into the store the other day.

And there's always that slight worry when you see people approaching the store without masks on.

Wondering if 'this will be it' and you'll get the grumpy customer that decides to cause a scene and show just how selfish they are by refusing to wear a mask.

But the lady of the couple pulled out a mask as she entered the store so I thought it would be fine.

It wasn't fine.

A few minutes later I see them over by the fish...not wearing masks. 

So I approach them to inform them that our store requires masks to be worn and that if they needed a temporary one I could go grab one for them.

To which the lady goes into this spiel about how "There's no law requiring that we have to wear masks and that we can't call the police on them because of it."

*exhales*

Like. Corporate had informed us that we shouldn't push the issue if customers refuse to wear a mask.

Because I'm sure they've seen the news stories too where customers get violent against employees when they're asked and told that they need to wear a mask.

So corporate told us to basically just inform the customer that masks are required and direct them to where the masks are, but to not push the issue further if the customer continues to refuse.

Which makes sense.

So in this case with the customer I was like "Okay, I'm just letting you know that they're required."

--and honestly if you already have the mask with you why not wear it you silly goose?

To which the customers were like "We'll keep our social distancing" and went to look at the fish.

And that was basically the end of the issue.

They customers were good and kept their distance from other people in the store.

And I was a good employee and helped them get the fish that they wanted once they'd decided.

But it's just kinda...irksome. How selfish people can be in refusing to wear a mask.

And it's just laudable that the customers thought that 'there was no law'

Like no. There's not yet a law requiring that people have to wear masks.

But stores do have the right to refuse services to people. There's a reason why there are signs that say "No shirts, No shoes, No service." And those can easily extend to "no masks no service" 

If it's a safety issue, then the stores have a right to take care of the safety issue and that includes refusing service to people who aren't following the guidelines. 

And if the customers proceed to make a scene after being asked to leave and refuse to leave then we as the store have a right to call the police. 

*shakes head*

Honestly. I don't get it. Like all that not wearing a mask does is tell other people that you only care about yourself. You don't care about potentially saving other people's lives. You don't care that you might be risking your health or someone else's health by refusing to wear a mask. 

It's just....*exhales*

I wish that people weren't so 'anti' with this. That they hadn't politicized it so much. Because I'm pretty sure if we'd taken a harder stance and done a better job of locking down and staying home in the states...we wouldn't still be in this mess. We wouldn't still be fighting the virus months after many other countries are seeing decreases.

It's just....depressing. *exhales* 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi