I was forced into town this past weekend to pick up the final touches to complete my Christmas shopping for this year.  While I bought most of my gifts online (an absolute joy at this time of year), there were some stocking stuffers and other knick-knacks that had me out and about among the masses to complete my Christmas lists.

And oh, what masses there were.

The parking lots were full, the mall was crowded, and I had to wait in a line that snaked all the way back into the seasonal section (at the back of the store) just to check out at Target.

The only difference between this year and any other (besides the stacks and stacks of travel-sized hand sanitizer on every display) were the people wearing masks – or lack thereof.

Have any of you been watching the news?  Have you read a newspaper? (There’s a laugh).  Perhaps you weren’t aware that there is a raging pandemic going on.  There is a state mandate to wear facemasks indoors (and outdoors, if one can’t socially distance).  As with any rule these days, while most people were in compliance, I saw an inordinate amount of folks sporting “chin-huggers” (masks worn below the nose) or even no masks whatsoever, yet no one says anything to them.  Not store employees, store managers – heck I even saw an unmasked couple pass right by a policeman (who was masked), but the officer said nothing to them in the way of enforcement.

Look, I’m not going to get into a debate about civil liberties, personal choice, or conspiracy theories (especially with a sh*t-apple redneck), but my Lord, any person who has been conscious since early 2020 probably knows by now just how easily this virus can spread.  The numbers of infected individuals nationwide continues to skyrocket.  We are now closing in on losing over 3,000 Americans every day to COVID-19.  That’s as many as were lost in all of the 9-11 tragedy – and we’re matching that total every day.  Wearing a mask can help to slow down and/or stop the spread.  It’s a proven fact.

Here in my state, the numbers are continuing to rise, due in large part to my bearded brethren out here in the boonies (the three western-most counties), where the gun shops are always full and the pick-ups are jacked up to the max.

As of this past weekend, Maryland’s overall positivity rate is just over 8% (the CDC recommends trying to get that number down under 5% before even trying to “open up” various establishments).  Out here in the Wild West?  Well, the counties of Allegheny, Garrett, and Washington (my county) have positivity rates of 18.1%. 18.8%, and 10.39% (respectively).  The case rates (the number of cases per 100,000 people) are even worse.  The statewide case rate is 39.59 (per 100K), which is not a good number.  Again, for the three western counties, the case rate is an appalling 190.3, 114.72, and 65.26 (respectively).

That means that for the short term (and probably for most of the winter), people in my neck of the woods are going to continue to get sick – and many more will die – all because these would-be patriots “ain’t gonna wear no damn mask”.

I only hope that the much ballyhooed vaccine gets here soon, as that seems to be the only way to help get this thing under control here locally.

And that’s only IF folks will then get the shots – but that’s another story.

Stay safe, everyone.