I think that my Lost is not that much different to all the other essential workers across the globe. Humans are rude, selfish and disrespectful and I don’t see a way to change that.
Being an essential employee has highlighted that for me personally in many ways. I work in a Bicycle Shop. I feel grateful that I was able to continue working as I am a single Mother of three, with no college degree and limited work experience after being a stay at home mother for many years. Initially I was very concerned I would be made unemployed. I am an older employee and was concerned that loosing my job would result in major difficulties finding employment when this is all over and the world returns to normal.
Fortunately Bicycle Shops were deemed “necessary” this allowed the Shop to remain open. It is a small business with about 12 employees. We as a team have experienced such entitlement from customers it really is shocking. I had one women actually throw her credit card at me for payment then ask me to put it on the ground so she could disinfect it. I did not ask you people to come to the Store, you chose to come. You made the decision to visit the Bike Store. In doing that you put yourself at risk but you also put us at risk too. You made that choice. Then to treat the staff like we are going to infect you is so very disrespectful.
People are angry that they have to wait for us to service their bike. They are mad because they will be without a bike for two weeks. They are not using it to commute to work or to go to the store to pick up groceries, they are using it purely for pleasure, that is fantastic. We encourage all people to get out and ride, it is good for mind and body but not at the expense of our mental and physical well being. You can not verbally abuse us because you have to wait for your bike to be serviced. We are working beyond our means to keep you riding. We are trying our best to keep everyone happy, no matter how hard we try we will never achieve that. People are a disgrace.
I imagine it is much the same for most of the essential employees. We are a group of people who are working low income jobs and for personal reasons we have chosen to keep our job instead of claiming unemployment. In doing that we have been at the mercy of the people, enduring abuse and disrespect.
It’s exhausting. I have no space in my brain for my children, for anything. It is so crowded with trying to please people who will never be pleased.
I have Lost so much because of self entitled humans.