You did what? You used a restaurant bathroom? Be gone!

Bright and early Monday morning, Debbie met up with her Boynton Beach power walking group and told them about her first foray into a restaurant in months.

She raved about the delicious food, how well the place handled social distancing, and how good it felt to be out again.

Then they threw her out of the group.

Power walk organizer Wilma spoke in hushed tones. “We think of you as a friend, but—”

But what?

“We need to protect ourselves. You pose a risk to us now. You can’t walk with us for the next 14 days.”

Debbie listened in shock. She had obeyed the rules, dined outdoors, and social distanced. What gives?

“You said you went to the bathroom, right?” “I did.” Inside? “Uhm, yes-““And the people inside weren’t wearing masks?”

“They were eating!”

So they weren’t wearing masks, while you were inside“That’s where the bathroom is.” And you breathed in that contaminated air?

“I put my mask on! I couldn’t hold it in all night.” Should the restaurant have an outhouse?

“And what if the waiter touched your fork? He could have had Covid on him and unknowingly spread it from other customers.”

Debbie looked at her latex gloves, her hand sanitizer, her pink mask with the triangular coffee filters stuffed in for extra protection, and sadly shook her head. She had become damaged goods; a convicted restaurant felon.

Today, what one person sees as reasonable another sees as foolhardy. Everything from belligerence to pure panic trumps government regulations. You are now judged by your attitudes and actions on staying safe.

“New normal” rules are wide open to interpretation. What if you want to take the family to the beach, but your wife has seen a photo of some people not obeying the social distancing rules? You suggest just moving away from such people to a safer spot, but you can’t convince her.

She calls you irresponsible. You call her over cautious, accuse her of ruining a desperately needed family outing. You never make it to the beach. The kids freak out. You don’t talk for a week. Fun, huh?

If this is the new normal, count me out.