Member-only story
Quarantined! Day 1
Learning Lessons and Finding Struggles
When we were told that our store was shutting down for at least two weeks, my anxiety spiked. There was such a rush of emotions it’s as though my body couldn’t handle them. I couldn’t catch my breath.
Working in retail is rough in the best of times. Having asthma during a pandemic makes it the worst of times. I feared every customer who walked through the door. I cringed when someone would hand me cash. I hopped from one hand sanitizer bottle to the next, praying that somehow, I would avoid catching the Corona virus.
You would think given all of this I would be thrilled that my company shut it’s doors, and a part of me is. No more worries over being around people who may or may not be carriers. Two weeks to get stuff done around the house that I hadn’t gotten the chance to do. Two weeks to spend as much time as I wanted with my family. Two weeks to sleep in.
But, what happens after the two weeks?
The night before my first day of self-quarantine, I did not sleep at all. I tossed and turned, exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t stop.
I still have bills that will need to be paid. I lucked out working for a company who is paying their employees for two weeks. After that though? Nobody knows.