Howdy Y’all
I was waiting in line for a rental car in Maui when I saw an older gentleman strolling around with a T-Shirt with the saying, "Your Mask is as Useless as Biden." But, of course, he was wearing a mask, which indicates that he is, in fact, aware that masks are not useless. The truth is, his mask had a particular use, the same as mine. It allowed us to travel to a tropical island destination for a relaxing stay in the sun and fantastic weather.
Even more joyous, this being the beginning of winter, an escape from the colder weather a likely welcome opportunity for us both. Which led me to wonder, why? Who is the shirt for? It seems like it's for me to show me that he thinks I'm dumb for wearing a mask at all, which is fine and predictable but not very interesting. But, on the other hand, maybe it's for himself. I wonder if he doesn't realize how scared of all of this he is, and the only way he can process it is by pretending that it's all nonsense, but he'll play along anyway.
He wants to make sure we know he's in on the gag but is playing along, right?
The thing he's failing to comprehend here, though, is that wearing a mask has enabled his freedom from the confines of winter. It has allowed him to change his reality, to turn the seasons. The price of his freedom is wearing a mask. Maybe he thinks it shouldn't be, but if it weren't a mask it would be something else.
Freedom always has a price.
Stay Safe Out There,
~Zach