In the past, I have made a concerted effort to write my posts with as little controversy as possible. However, I have a bone to pick, an ax to grind, a score to settle, a crow to pluck, call it what you will…I have a theory to ‘unmask’.

I think we can all agree that 2020 was an ‘odd’ year. When, in all of our lives to that point, did we ever think we’d be pondering about how cute a mask was, what mask went best with our outfit, or what mask we should wear for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or Easter? The answer is easy. Never. We NEVER thought about wearing a mask before except maybe for Halloween.

Hopefully, the day is soon approaching when we will all be unmasked and what a lovely day that will be! But, in the meantime, here is a thought.

When we enter a store, we wear a mask for as long as we’re walking around in the store. I do this mostly out of consideration for others, not because I think I need it. When I go into any public building, I also wear a mask for the same reason. However, when I go into a restaurant, I only have to wear a mask as I walk the path to my table. Once I am seated, I’m allowed to remove my mask. Now, while I am seated, I am talking, I am laughing, I am sometimes coughing because something went down the wrong pipe. I am spreading a ton of germs when I am seated, but somehow, I am magically not contagious while sitting in a restaurant. So, here is my theory.

Covid is only contagious in the higher atmospheres, when people are walking and at their full height. Therefore, it stands to reason that Covid is, obviously, only contagious the higher you are in the atmosphere. I think restaurants already know this. And so, my feelings are that short people, who when standing are the height of most people that are sitting, should not have to wear a mask. We never touch the higher, germ-filled, atmosphere. We dwell in the lower, germ-free, spaces. Even the people at Disney, who are experts in all things masks and physical distancing, say that while sitting you can remove your mask. Of course, you’re supposed to be eating or drinking, but they have areas where you can be doing neither and still remove your masks. Maybe it’s the act of sitting that renders one free of contagion? Maybe the air is just cleaner down here? The world may never know and though it’s fun to think about, it’s really not that big a deal!