Why Bother With A Mask

[retrocop]

Today I had to visit my local hospital to collect some Gastrografin in advance of a procedure to be undertaken on Friday 13th. My wife dropped me off at the main entrance as I walked through with my smiley mask affixed. There was a large woman sitting at a small table with a tray of masks on it. She looked like she was a poppy seller. I used the hand cleanser on the wall of reception and carried on walking to the CTC suite. A voice boomed at me,'come back here and take a mask' I walked back and asked if she was talking to me.'Put this mask on and wear it in the hospital'. She then proffered it to me on the end of a pair of wooden tongs like I was a walking Covid Germ.I was sorely tempted to tell her to shove her inferior paper tissue mask where the sun don't shine.
I asked her what was wrong with my mask and she replied,'Nothing but we need to stop covid so you must wear this mask' I then asked her if I would get another mask on Friday or do I keep the one she had just given me as a souvenir. She said,' keep it if you like'.
If the NHS let some job's worth hand out inferior masks to visitors to the hospital and demand I replace my medical grade re-useable mask then why the hell do I bother wearing my mask in other public venues if it isn't deemed suitable. Obviously why no apparent improvement over the last 20 or so years no matter how much wasted money is thrown at it. No quibble if they have the Gestapo insisting a mask is worn but to hand out inferior ones to visitors who already comply by wearing their own seems stupid..

[pixie374]

Retro, you did suggest she had to call you back. Why was that? As always, it's impossible to see from one side of any situation. I can see her point, but I am also guessing, her version of this would not be identical.

[iluvmargie]

Better than saying 'a fat cow' surely??

[Cloverjo]

This reminds me of a cruise holiday when Norovirus was a big threat. I’d just sanitised my hands on leaving a restaurant. I walked past the next sanitiser. The guy ‘in charge’ shouted after me “Oy, you need to clean your hands.” Husband said to him “ How did you know her name is Oy?”

Of course, I went back and used the gel again, but the guy could have been more polite, like Retro’s lady.

[Atheist]

NJ; are you large? Retro, are you large? In any case, does it matter? It gives your post a hint of anti-largeness.

[retrocop]

May be because it sets the scene of a large overbearing,intimidating person with a booming needlessly authoritarian demeanour who has no skill in social intercourse. If some are hard of understanding I could not draw a picture so it was better described so as the scenario could be set.. I didn't think an in depth description of the furniture,reception area,corridors and general lay out of the building was necessary. Just the two principle people in question. Do you need to question why I described my mask as smiley? Well my wife embroidered a nose and red smiley lips to cheer people up and give a bit of levity to those who can't handle the current situation. The kids in the shops love it.

[Atheist]

Retro; maybe just be more forgiving and perhaps don't take offence so easily? Jesus would have recommended turning the other cheek. Best wishes.

[Sqad]

Cloverjo 1734

I can't imagine anybody on our cruises addressing Mrs sad in that tone under ANY circumstances.
Was it perhaps Fred Olson or Disney land cruise lines?

He would have been off at the next port of call.

[retrocop]

Pixie
She called me back because I had the effrontery to walk past her whilst she was seated at a small collapsible card table and talking to someone about giving directions to their required department I think. As stated. She looked to me like she was a poppy seller. I had not previously mentioned she was sporting a rather large poppy. That is irrelevant. I knew where I wanted to go and first headed to the hand cleansing dispenser which was past her. As far as I was concerned I had no business with her. I have my own poppy and I knew where the scan unit was. I walked past and didn't expect anyone to holler me back as I made my way about my business.
I don't give a **** if this woman was a volunteer. So are people who give their time to the Samaritans. If they spoke to a visitor they would not last 5 mins at the switchboard I hope.

[pixie374]

Thanks retro... maybe next time, especially with lockdown and new rules etc speak to a receptionist first.
In all these kind of places now, there is so much box-ticking and form-filling, as people are so much more ready to blame and sue. I would just check next time, before you march on through x

[Cloverjo]

Sqad, I think it might have been a fred.olson cruise. There were other things we had to complain about. Not relevant to this subject so I won’t bore people with it. Won’t use them again anyway.

[agchristie]

Retro,can u plse clarify somethin' for me? Er,how many signs were on display and was she wearing green or blue? Thanx

[Sqad]

I might have guessed my love-;)

[New Judge]

//In all these kind of places now, there is so much box-ticking and form-filling, as people are so much more ready to blame and sue.//

Very true (hence my remark about wastage in the NHS). But there is no reason why patients should get involved with such nonsense.

There seems to be an underlying feeling here that people should be spoken to and treated in all sorts of unacceptable manners and it must be accepted "because it's their job". The NHS is there to treat patients; it is not there to browbeat them into complying with some of the frankly utterly ridiculous processes and procedures its bureaucrats and managers devise to keep themselves and other staff busy which have no bearing on their medical treatment. Front line staff have a difficult enough job at the best of times because the service is poorly managed. They don't need it made any more difficult by members of staff - whether they are wearing green, blue or yellow with black polka dots - being rude to patients who might then vent their anger on somebody else.

[pixie374]

Unfortunately, processes and procedures are vital for pretty much any large company now- and of course, will affect patients ultimately. The attitude is hard to tell, when you only get one side, no matter what it is.
And as for //who might then vent their anger on somebody else.//. Erm...no. There is no excuse to do so. Anybody who would behave that way is likely to, rightly, be kicked out.

[Unsureme]

Had the same trouble in Morrisons Supermarket,waiting to pay and was told by the Shop Cashier,"Get back to the beginning of the belt",as far as I am aware my Shopping is still on the Conveyer Belt from last Friday.!!

[iluvmargie]

^ Good for you!

[retrocop]

ag
Many signs on display. The usual multicoloured sign boards showing Floors,Wings, Depts. Please wear masks at all times. Please sanitise.
No sign saying 'Halt Auswieiz Bitter.Speak to this woman before going any further.'
She was in mufti. No identification badge to indicate who she represented. A light blue woollen jumper with tweed jacket and skirt. Big poppy on lapel. Looked like a female character out of St Trinians. Joyce Grenfell but not amusing.

[bobbinwales]

So you made your point in your own way unsureme by walking off without your shopping about the rude tone but surely you then wasted however long it took you to refill your trolly somewhere else, and also inconvenienced whoever was queing behind you, maybe a busy nurse

[Atheist]

Retro, you really seem to have taken offence! No proper uniform? No badge? No harsh signage written in German? You must have been confused. Why do you get so annoyed at civilians doing their job? You must have known she wasn't a self-appointed gauleiter, just someone who'd been asked to cope with people like you?

[iluvmargie]

^ Oh gawd talk about clutching at straws!!