Don’t be that person

In Baltimore, the manager of a popular women’s clothing store is berated by a customer. What triggered such an emotional reaction?

The spectacle, caught by a video surveillance camera at Brightside Boutique, started with a mask — an improperly worn one. The manager had simply reminded the customer several times to follow the posted rules. That’s when the fireworks began.

Other store owners in the Baltimore area have spoken of similar encounters. And we’re likely in for an uptick in mask-related confrontations in indoor retail spaces in the days and weeks ahead, as national and state officials lift more mask requirements, while some local authorities and business owners choose to keep them in place.

The pandemic is headed toward an end, but it’s not quite there yet. There are still too many Americans who are reluctant or unable to get the vaccine and children who are as yet ineligible for it. And so, while government-mandated restrictions do not need to be where they were at the peak of the outbreak, a certain amount of caution is sensible.

What’s really disappointing is not that a customer became upset. We all have bad days. It’s that she and so many others appear to take being asked to wear a mask as a personal affront.

Being asked to wear a mask is not about limiting your freedom; it’s about giving you an opportunity to help others by protecting theirs. It makes you a good citizen. And compliance does not exactly require much. This is how a nation overcomes grave threats whether it’s World War II, the Great Depression or a pandemic. We look out for each other and make the small sacrifices like wearing a mask when asked.

And finally, there is also this thing called civility. Something important is lost if we can’t have a calm interaction about something so trivial as wearing a strip of paper or cloth over our nose and mouth.

The day is coming when we may set them aside in most, if not all, situations, but it’s not here yet. Until then, let’s remember the golden rule and treat others as we would have them treat us, whether masked or not.