Day 16, An outing

(A series of personal observations recorded as Italy takes action against the spread of Covid-19)

It’s my turn to go to the grocery store again. It shouldn’t be. After the last fiasco in which I not only left the house without a mask, I also stopped to drop a book off to someone and then proceeded to fare una chiacchiera with the shopkeeper (who was, in my defense, wearing a mask), it was agreed that I couldn’t be trusted with either the shopping or the lives of the people of our community. I get his point—we’re doing this to keep others safe, even more than for our own sakes, and who knows if I’m carrying this disease or not? I didn’t cough or touch my face (or anyone’s face) or shake hands, and I washed my hands both coming and going. But the mask… a crucial error. I’m learning.
 
G. has a cough today though, we need things, and, being one of the few genuinely altruistic people I know, he’s temporarily stepped down from his position as Official House Shopper, entrusting me with the job.