I forgo my mask! It was like those nightmares where you are naked!

[ktgrok]

edited to clarify - this actually happened today - it was not a dream!

On the way home from church (first time in over a year!) I stopped at Sam's Club to grab some bagged salads and some potatoes. It was starting to rain, and I was digging in my purse for my Sam's card and trying not to dump everything in my purse out into the puddles as I walked. Didn't reach it until I got up to the front door, waved it triumphantly only to realize no on was there to even check. Whatever. Dashed through the store (lights flickering from the thunderstorm) trying to grab what I need, scan it with the app on my phone to pay, and get out before it came down harder. (don't have to stand in line to pay at sams if you have the app). As I was walking to the exit I realized I wasn't wearing my mask!!!!! Worse, it was still in my car, where I had set it while searching the car console for my sanitizer to stick in my purse. I had to walk all the way out, and wait for someone to scan the QR code on my phone, knowing I was wearing no mask and everyone else. Now, I'm fully vaccinated, and was only in the store maybe 10 minutes, but still, no on ELSE new that! I felt terrible! It was POURING outside, but no way was I going to hang out in the crowd under the overhang and wait for a break in the rain! I did my walk of shame to the car in the pouring rain and got the heck out of there!

I cannot believe I did that!

Edited April 11, 2021 by ktgrok

[gardenmom5]

I've done that a couple times.  Once when checking in with my chiro - the receptionist didn't even notice.  She just gave me one of theirs.

 

i like the manip of the abby road cover for a mask meme. john lennon is walking the other direction.  He forgot his mask.

[gardenmom5]

What does it mean that I've never had a dream where I was naked? 

I'm sure the mask dreams will go away.  The nightmares I had of being attacked by blueberry bushes the summer I picked blueberries went away.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've had it happen twice too.  Once I went into the pharmacy and the clerk offered me one.  I accepted it gladly.  Another time I was at the grocery deli section, realized, told them I'd be right back and ran out to my car.  But in my state, stores can be fined if they don't require masks so I doubt that I would have gotten through an entire shopping experience without one being offered. 

PS - I was embarrassed too.  And in my "small town in the big city" (metropolitan area but small community) people know me.  But they also know that I wasn't doing it on purpose to be a **********.  And exposure risk was there but still low. 

[klmama]

Masks are required in indoor public places here.  I forget my mask in the car frequently and usually realize it when I get to the door of the store and see the big sign stating masks are required.  When I went for a massage a few weeks ago, though, none of the usual reminders worked.  I went through a text check-in process that reminded me several times to wear my mask, walked in through the door with the sign, was greeted and temperature scanned by two mask-wearing employees, and my mask-wearing massage therapist greeted me and started walking me to the room.  That was the point at which I realized I didn't have my mask.  The two desk staffers didn't notice, the massage therapist didn't notice, and I only noticed because we had reached the spot I always check to be sure I have the mask on that lets me breathe well while face down.  All that to say, you aren't alone, and you might be the only person who realized you'd forgotten your mask.  

[Bootsie]

I was in my office building a few weeks ago.  My office is within a suite that is at least 2000 square feet and I was the only person in it.   I walk out into the main hallway which is a three story open atrium to go to the bathroom.  I do not know that there is another human anywhere in the three stories.  I get to the bathroom and realized I wasn't wearing a mask (we don't have to in our individual offices).  And, I had that feeling of panic--like I was naked, or at least had forgotten to put pants on.  It was a weird feeling and no one even saw me (unless someone was watching on the security cameras).  

[SKL]

It happens.  I hope folks remember this before making assumptions about others' motives.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

I’ve been doing this a couple times lately.  There’s still a public mask mandate in so I was kind of surprised no one said anything to me.  Between having Covid and being vaccinated I really should be as immune as it’s going to get, so it didn’t bother me, but I was surprised both that I forgot after a year of wearing a masks and that absolutely no one in Walmart said anything to me.

[Harriet Vane]

I did it a couple months ago. Went clothes shopping with ds and forgot to grab a mask. No masks anywhere in the car or my purse or anything. He ran in and bought some masks, claiming that the only thing for sale were the brightly-colored ones with prominent sports team logos for teams I am not crazy about. Ugh. I felt like I was walking around wearing a scarlet A. 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Harriet Vane

[SoCal_Bear]

I keep a full set of spare masks in my purse and in every vehicle. It might be useful to keep a set of disposables in a ziplock bag if you don't have enough reusable masks to do this.

[ktgrok]

3 minutes ago, calbear said:

I keep a full set of spare masks in my purse and in every vehicle. It might be useful to keep a set of disposables in a ziplock bag if you don't have enough reusable masks to do this.

What's funny is I JUST bought a box of disposable ones last week to keep in the car, just in case. And then DS21 saw them and mentioned he needed to buy more (he works in the public and wears them daily, and reusable ones trigger acne) so I gave him the box and planned to buy myself one next time I saw them.  oops!

When I get another box, I'll put a few in a baggy in my purse for situations like this!

Edited April 11, 2021 by ktgrok

[porque?]

Ha! I have done this a couple of times lately too! And I was a vigilant mask wearer! 

[KathyBC]

I've had to go back to the car. That's how I trained myself with reusable grocery bags so it wasn't too bad.

But I've overheard people complaining they saw someone indoors without a mask, and I'm embarrassed to say I never even noticed.

[Garga]

I was in Aldi and another lady arrived right when I did and she didn’t have a mask on. How irritating! And she was calm and collected as if she didn’t even care. I felt so judgy toward her.

I made subtle efforts to make sure I was not moving through the store with her, but that we were spaced well apart.

But by the time we both got to the end of the second aisle, we were in the same area. That’s when she popped her head up, gasped, and blurted out, “I FORGOT MY MASK!!” and she high-tailed it out of the store to go get it.

I felt really bad for judging her and figured it could happen to any of us.

[Lady Florida.]

 

40 minutes ago, Garga said:

That’s when she popped her head up, gasped, and blurted out, “I FORGOT MY MASK!!” and she high-tailed it out of the store to go get it.

It happened to me at physical therapy a while back. I had my first vaccine at the time but even so. It wasn't until I got inside the therapy area and they pulled out the forehead thermometer (they always take your temperature before you get all the way in) that I realized my face was bare. I clapped my hand over my mouth and said "I forgot my mask!". They would have offered me a disposable one before letting me start my exercises but I went out to the car and got my mask.

I think it's going to feel very strange once we can go places without a mask. It will feel almost like being naked. At the very least it will feel like I'm not properly dressed to go out.

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

What's funny is I JUST bought a box of disposable ones last week to keep in the car, just in case.

We have a box of disposable ones on a table near the front door. We use them when we need to grab a mask because a food delivery arrived or if any repair people come. Being in a newly built house we had to often have people come to take care of minor issues. We use them for both us and the contractors. The builder requires them to all wear masks but some have come to the door without one. If they don't have theirs in the truck I hand them one of our disposables. Sometimes they give me "the look" but 1. They know it's required by their employer. 2. It's my house and you're not entering without a mask until this thing is safely behind us (herd immunity). 

[Moonhawk]

I've found the chance of forgetting my mask is directly proportional to how far I've parked from the store entrance. 

[rebcoola]

I haven't forgotten.   Once I took the kids to the store and middle DD walked around for like 20 minutes and I had several conversations with her before she saw herself and realized she had no mask.  It just didn't click in my brain for some reason.

[Carrie12345]

I had to drag the boys through my errands the other day. (Individually, they could stay home. Together for more than an hour, they might kill each other.) I had zero intention of bringing them inside anywhere, but still panicked when they said they forgot masks. That’s how obsessively “you never know” I am, lol.

Surprisingly, I haven’t seen a naked face in any store in just about a year now. Naked noses, yes.  I’m guessing it happens somewhat regularly and I’m just not out often enough to see it. I’ve certainly come close!

[AmandaVT]

I forgot one walking into school the other day! I got buzzed in through the front doors, checked myself in with the health screening, got buzzed into the main part of the building, walked to my office, which is about as far away from the front door as possible - said hi to a bunch of teachers and finally realized I didn't have my mask on about 15 min into school (when a student pointed it out).  🤦‍♀️

[ktgrok]

 

1 minute ago, AmandaVT said:

I forgot one walking into school the other day! I got buzzed in through the front doors, checked myself in with the health screening, got buzzed into the main part of the building, walked to my office, which is about as far away from the front door as possible - said hi to a bunch of teachers and finally realized I didn't have my mask on about 15 min into school (when a student pointed it out).  🤦‍♀️

Given that we all seem to have this same experience, with no one saying anything, now I wonder what would happen if we DID show up somewhere without pants on, like in nightmares, lol. Would no one say anything?

[Moonhawk]

2 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

 

Given that we all seem to have this same experience, with no one saying anything, now I wonder what would happen if we DID show up somewhere without pants on, like in nightmares, lol. Would no one say anything?

"So, uh...nice weather we're having... glad you're enjoying it..."

[Ausmumof3]

5 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

What does it mean that I've never had a dream where I was naked? 

I'm sure the mask dreams will go away.  The nightmares I had of being attacked by blueberry bushes the summer I picked blueberries went away.

If you were talking about blackberries they might not have 😆

[gardenmom5]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

If you were talking about blackberries they might not have 😆

I've never had nightmares of being attacked by blackberries.  Probably took happy to eat them.

and being properly equipped with heavy gloves, thick clothing, clippers, etc. when I pick.  I have a friend who'd throw a piece of plywood down to make a path into them.

[Garga]

I don’t go anywhere without the mask, though I’ve gotten to doors and had to turn back to get a forgotten mask. My mask is very comfortable and I’ve enjoyed the sense of anonymity when I wear one. And I do believe they help immensely. 

But I think it’ll be very easy to dump the mask and not wear one again. They’re just a hassle.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Garga

[LAS in LA]

4 hours ago, rebcoola said:

 Once I took the kids to the store and middle DD walked around for like 20 minutes and I had several conversations with her before she saw herself and realized she had no mask.  It just didn't click in my brain for some reason.

This was me with DS . . . In CVS!!! 😂

[lynn]

If the store Is not busy I just carry on otherwise I grab one from the front and move on with life.  it happens.    Mandate is dropped here though  and I shop during the week when its not busy.

[gardenmom5]

34 minutes ago, Garga said:

I don’t go anywhere without the mask, though I’ve gotten to doors and had to turn back to get a forgotten mask. My mask is very comfortable and I’ve enjoyed the sense of anonymity when I wear one. And I do believe they help immensely. 

But I think it’ll be very easy to dump the mask and not wear one again. They’re just a hassle.

on cold days - I've appreciated it was keeping my face warm. 😜

[Drama Llama]

.

Edited May 8, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Garga]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

on cold days - I've appreciated it was keeping my face warm. 😜

Oh, that’s a really good point! I hate walking out of a store and being hit with a blast of freezing wind on my face (windy around here.) I’ve loved having the masks in those cases. It makes a big difference in the winter.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

6 hours ago, ktgrok said:

 

Given that we all seem to have this same experience, with no one saying anything, now I wonder what would happen if we DID show up somewhere without pants on, like in nightmares, lol. Would no one say anything?

Well....  a few weeks ago I was walking behind a local man who is most likely on the autism spectrum. The whole seat of his pants was ripped and hanging open. I could see his underwear. I have to admit that I said nothing. I wasn’t sure how he would react and while I see him all over town I don’t actually know him personally. I don’t know if anyone else was brave enough to tell him. 

[Lady Florida.]

7 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

Given how easily it seems that even the most cautious here can forget a mask, I doubt the re adaptation to normal life without a mask is going to be too weird for most people.  Some folks maybe but I suspect that most will be able to drop them like hot potatoes once they feel the pandemic is over. 

Well I only forgot it once and when I did it felt very weird to realize my face was uncovered so. More often I get in the car and forget I have it on. Early in the pandemic I would rip it off as soon as I got in the car (back then there were memes comparing it to taking off your bra as soon as you get home) and now I often get halfway home before I realize I'm still wearing it. If it makes us feel weird to realize we aren't wearing a mask I do think it will feel weird once we no longer have to wear them. 

4 hours ago, Garga said:

I don’t go anywhere without the mask, though I’ve gotten to doors and had to turn back to get a forgotten mask. My mask is very comfortable and I’ve enjoyed the sense of anonymity when I wear one. And I do believe they help immensely. 

But I think it’ll be very easy to dump the mask and not wear one again. They’re just a hassle.

Mine is always with me too, usually in my purse. The time I forgot mine was because I took it off after my first stop and put it on the passenger seat. I usually put it on before getting out of the car but not always. That was one of the times I didn't, and didn't realize it until I got inside.

[ktgrok]

7 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

 

Mine is always with me too, usually in my purse. The time I forgot mine was because I took it off after my first stop and put it on the passenger seat. I usually put it on before getting out of the car but not always. That was one of the times I didn't, and didn't realize it until I got inside.

Same. Mine was left on the passenger seat after church. I really do think it was a combination of the rain about to start (so hurrying) and that I was digging for my membership card, that distracted me.