Normalcy for a Few Minutes
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86812)
United States
May 4, 2020 9:47pm CST
The man at the counter in the restaurant asked if my order was dining in or takeout. “Eating in,” I replied emphatically, “and I’m gonna savor every moment of it.”
The young man nodded. “You never know how fast it can go away,” he said. “Three days, and we were closed.”
Normalcy. I think it’s what people want more than anything. The people protesting aren’t being badasses. They want to go back to work because it’s normal. Ask anyone retired and we’ll tell you, sitting around and doing nothing gets very old very quickly.
So there I was, sitting in a restaurant for the first time in six weeks, enjoying a barbecue chicken sandwich and potato salad. I was a rare individual: only two other tables were occupied (and not by mandated “social distancing,” either).
The familiarity flooded back: the TVs scrolling the weather on on TV and the sports on another, piped-in music...and the feeling of being normal.
If just for the 20 minutes or so it took me to eat.
Dang, did it feel good.
14 people like this
15 responses
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
5 May 20
All the restaurants are closed here and I don't see any possibility of them reviving back in the days to come.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
5 May 20
Normalcy for a few minutes? You? Impossible under any circumstances!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
I tried to be normal once. It was the longest and most miserable 90 seconds of my life.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
@JohnRoberts — well, it was a bet....
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
It’ll be lifted in Kentucky at the end of the month. Indiana is lifting it starting next Monday. Tennessee (where I’m at right now, running away from the drudgery) lifted it last week in all but the five biggest cities in the state.
Of course, when I say “lifted,” it means with restrictions like 50% capacity and all the social distancing rules.
4 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
I think that’s what a lot of people aren’t taking into consideration. Restaurants operate under strict sanitary guidelines to begin with, and now things are cranked up to the nth degree. I have no fear of eating in a restaurant...in fact, I’m going to Calhoun’s tomorrow for some FGT (Fried Green Tomatoes).
4 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
5 May 20
@FourWalls You could watch the movie instead.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
@JohnRoberts — I tried that once. The video melted when I fried it.
1 person likes this
@pitsipeahie (5758)
•
5 May 20
I think we aren't going back to the normal we used to know before. What we'll be having is the "new normal". Most restaurants here are closed only a few fast foods are open for take out/pick up or delivery only.
Nice to hear you felt good even for some minutes. 
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
5 May 20
The other interesting thing was how people walking around Gatlinburg were mostly not wearing masks but were definitely social distancing. If someone came the other direction on the sidewalk there was an instant gap in the middle with southbound walkers on one side of the sidewalk (as far as they could get over) and northbound walkers (again, as close to the edge as possible) on the other side.
But this is the south, with manners and all.....
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (209080)
• United States
5 May 20
I can't wait to sit in a restaurant dining room again. That will be a red letter day.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222623)
• United States
5 May 20
I'm glad you enjoyed your meal out. It will be a while for us here in Ohio. Nothing but elective surgery has been approved.
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 May 20
Oh i would love for Normal here. We keep being told that the old normal will never be again and we will eventually have a new normal.
The territory in Canada I'm from hasn't had an active case in weeks - and the five that we did have were contracted from travel. Our borders are closed to anything but essential travel. And if we do choose to leave for groceries or anything (groceries are cheaper south) we are making the decision to come home and isolate for 14 days. Not really something we NEED to do.
Sadly we arent allowed to eat in. Or have anyone from outside our household indoors in our home.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 May 20
@FourWalls It sure feels that way here. They havent "laxed" any of the "rules" in weeks. Claiming each week they will have an announcement but then done.
I would LOVE to go camping. But they have deemed camping to risky Which I don't get i can go sit at my camper in front of a fire and ignore the rest of the world and STAY away from people quite easily... but that's "risky"
But it's not risky to go park my car in a parking lot and have to stand in a line where people don't actually stay 6 feet away while we wait to get into a grocery store for perishable items.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
11 May 20
@saundyl — I know. Camping is the original “social distancing” activity, and it’s one of the LAST things opening here. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86812)
• United States
11 May 20
I’m very sorry to hear that. My opinion is when the danger has subsided and you’re still locked down then it’s not about “public safety,” it’s about control.
1 person likes this
