Stage 2

Today, Indiana enters "Stage 2" of reopening. Among other things, retail businesses can be open, but at half capacity, including malls (although the seating area in mall food courts will still be closed). Social distancing & masks are still recommended.

Click to Embiggenate

This doesn't apply to Lake County (Gary & southeast Chicago 'burbs) or Marion County (Indianapolis)*, which won't roll into it until next Monday**, or poor, hammered little Cass County, which remains shut-in until the 18th.

People have definitely started exhibiting pressure signs. Take this hot mess in Oklahoma, for example:

An emergency proclamation issued Thursday in Stillwater, Oklahoma, requiring the use of face masks in stores and restaurants was amended Friday after threats of violence.

"In the short time beginning on May 1, 2020, that face coverings have been required for entry into stores/restaurants, store employees have been threatened with physical violence and showered with verbal abuse," Stillwater City Manager Norman McNickle said in a statement.

"In addition, there has been one threat of violence using a firearm."

Oh, boy, how does that work?

Clerk: "Sir, the sign on the door says 'must be masked to enter'."

Customer: [pulls gun] "F$#k you this is 'Murrica, I know mUh rIgHts!"

Clerk: "Uh, the other sign on the door says 'no guns'."

"I'll put on a shirt and shoes to go into Waffle House, but asking me to wear a cool bandanna like a western outlaw to pick up drywall mud from Home Depot in the middle of some godawful plague is just a bridge too far!" This is Tiger King country, after all, I guess.

These days I've been giving J. Random Shopper the same wary wide berth that I'd give Mr. Angry Motorist.

I'm fairly avoidant under normal circumstances, but with everyone seemingly torqued down about three minutes of a degree from total thread strip, I'm the very soul of conciliation and ceding the space in the checkout line.

These are the last circumstances under which I want to get into a completely frickin' avoidable Use-of-Force incident.


*There will be a weird side effect to Marion County remaining locked down for another week while Hamilton to the north is allowed to open retail shopping to 50% capacity. Namely, businesses along the north side of the busy commercial corridor of 96th Street will be allowed to open, since they're in Hamilton, while the south side of the street, in Marion, will remain shuttered for another week.

**Bobbi points out that while the state's "Back On Track" plan may say May 11th for Marion County, Mayor Hogswatch has said that Marion County will remain closed down through the 15th, at least.
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