Pepper Lady

On Saturday, we, my wife and youngest son included went to Wegmans to get resources for the week. We needed to shore up a few supplies that have a short “shelf-life” (seafood and produce). Luckily, the meat and paper towels were also plentiful that day. Towards the end of the trip, my wife asked me to wait with our son while she picked up one the last thing. As my son and I were waiting by the produce section, i scanned to see if there was anything we missed. While I was looking through the fruits, I saw an older lady “man-handling” every green pepper in the pepper bin with her bare hands.

Normally, this would not bother me as I wash my produce before I store it and before I use it in a meal. However, we are in the beginning stages of a pandemic. WTF is she doing? What was she thinking? Doesn’t she know that the Corona Virus is going around and her demographic is not doing well when they get it? Maybe she missed all of the signs that said please use a plastic bag to keep your hands from sharing germs with the produce and, just as importantly, to keep the produce from sharing the germs of everyone else who decided to also touch it with their bare hands from latching on to you. Maybe she thought that she would not get the virus if she touched every pepper in the store. Maybe she thought that sharing her germs via the green peppers would make everyone feel better about the pandemic.

People are selfish.

Don’t touch the food that you are not going to buy it. Don’t share your germs with others. If you touch it, buy it, and eat it. My family’s safety depends on it. 

To the pepper lady, you may be the most selfish person in Wegmans and you might not even realize it. We are in the middle of a pandemic. You might not get the perfect pepper every time you go shopping. That is ok. The not-so-perfect ones taste just as good. Here is to you living a long life, especially after you find out that the pepper you picked was no different than the other 32, yes I counted, you put back in the rack.

Be Better.