I’m sitting in my car under the shade of a tree, eating lunch. It’s become my new normal. The cafés I frequent don’t offer seating nowadays. Instead, one orders at a window, waits in an approved area, picks up one’s food, and departs.
If I lived a little closer to Tallahassee, or weren’t so impatient, I’d take my lunch home. Yes, I could make lunch for myself, but I crave interaction with others, even if it only comes through a window during the ordering process.
The young woman at Sweet Pea Cafe asked me how I was doing today. Her question touched me. I even remembered to ask her how she’d been. Some of the niceties of human contact have almost fallen by the wayside, but we salvaged them, at least for today.
Once I’m finished with lunch I’ll make a quick stop at a store to buy pepper. We don’t really need pepper, but will in a week or so. I could put off the trip until I needed to buy more from the store, but maybe the person who rings up my purchase will comment. I’ll respond, and it’ll almost be normal.
Peace, people.
Praying for Eyebrowz 
I can identify with this. During my time of living alone I frequented cafés because I didn’t want to cook for myself, although I was happy to cook for others.
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I’m much less likely to crazy if I don’t cook for myself.
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We had the painter from next door come by this morning to give us a quote on some work we want done. He put out his hand, and I shook it. Dammit! Gotta wash my hands now. Something so normal gave me such angst. So not right. I hope you enjoyed lunch. Sounds nice to be eating outside.
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The old ways make us anxious. I have trouble watching television shows in which people are crowded together!
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Replace the word “pepper” with “chocolate” or some other such luxury. 😛
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As I was walking from my car to the store I made up and sang a song about pepper. I think it might be a hit. 😉
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I think people start to understand folks who would phone up call centres just for someone to talk to. It is the saddest thing re this how people don’t speak. We;ve been very lucky here with neighbours, which is good. and I’d along conversation with a workman on the house across the road today. Totally normal.
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I do understand now! I savor every single conversation.
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Having people to talk with has been one big advantage of continuing to work every day during this situation. Who knows what I’d be conversing with by now with real people in my life everyday.
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I talk to inanimate objects. A lot.
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Well yes, I do too but after awhile I even question my own sanity 😉
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Years back when my older girl worked in a call centre when she was at uni she said that there was an old man who would phone, he would actually ask for her eventually. It wasn’t that the potatoes were missing from his order he was really phoning about. He would say how he hadn’t spoken to anyone for days and he just wanted two minutes of someone’s time. What a shame. Where we live is fortunately famous for the banter, complete strangers speak to one another, and in the main that is holding good. But there must be people very hard hit that way.
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Oh! That’s heartbreaking, but so sweet. That would make a good novel.
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I know… It was awful sad but sweet. They would be shouting all over the centre for her eventually when he phoned. Bless them.
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Awww!
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