Musings from an Essential Employee

I am a so-called “essential employee.” That means that the U.S. government has determined that my job is essential in keeping our society going. There are the obvious jobs: medical personnel, police and correctional officers, and truckers. Then there are less obvious: food service employees, retail workers, gas station attendants, bankers, and many more. 

I am a food service worker. During this pandemic, while it is recommended that folks stay home as much as possible, I go to work as usual. 

I am, as per usual in my life, considered an outlier. (In actuality, there may be more people actually going to work than not.) Every third ad on Facebook says, “You’re stuck at home anyway!” and “Tips for Not Getting Bored While At Home.” I

internally shake my head as I put on my work uniform and my face mask as I prepare for another shift at work. 

In many ways, I am blessed. I am still getting a paycheck, while so many folks are waiting on unemployment. My rent and bills are paid, and there is food in my freezer. 

But, even in the midst of the “Thank you” billboards around town, there are those in society who want to be jerks. 

I saw a a TikTok video of a guy who was trying to force hand sanitizer on a drive-thru worker. When she refused, he sprayed her with Lysol. The comments were about evenly split between “Why did she have an attitude?” and “Why on Earth would you do that?” (I fall strongly in the second camp, as anyone who knows me would probably guess.) One of my coworkers told me he was sprayed with Lysol while doing face-to-face ordering. 

In my own city, four McDonalds employees were shot when they enforced a “closed dining room” policy. (Fortunately, all are expected to recover.) So, on top of 

I realize this is a very stressful time for everyone. But a little kindness to others goes a long way. Just yesterday, one of my coworkers brought some Eileens Cookies. And they were delicious. 

Even showing a smile helps. A few weeks ago, I posted on Facebook about a doctor who was seeing COVID-19 patients. He wanted to find a way to lift their spirits, so he took a smiling photo of himself and stuck it in front of his PPE. I keep thinking about that sweet gentleman. This small gesture probably helped folks who are already in a dire situation. 

So, remember during this time: Whether you are an essential employee yourself or interacting with one, (or both), a small gesture of kindness goes a long way.