So, in addition to my “day job” as a new business development guru for start-up and entrepreneurial companies…I work both essential and non-essential retail. Jobs I love with great people, particularly the management. During the pandemic – my essential retail managers scheduled me for whatever hours they could offer and called me in to work – I was blessed. Scary as it was – getting out of the house and making a little money while being productive really helped me keep my sanity.
Recently, at my non-essential retail job, a good friend (someone I have known for more than 10 years) became ill. She has a lot of medical issues so this is not new for her. She was concerned, due to the changes in the weather, that she may contract pneumonia – she has issues with her lungs – a history of problems from smoking, from an accident, and from being sick in the past. Well, I noticed that her breathing was a bit labored and she wasn’t quite right – but thought it was the pneumonia coming back. She left early for her shifts that weekend I worked with her. The following Wednesday, people told me she was ill – although advised by management to go home, she did not and worked. On the weekend and Wednesday – people sat in the breakroom, maskless, near her for 15 minutes or more enjoying a snack and discussions about the upcoming holidays.
Not long after that weekend – later in the week, I received a message from a mutual friend/co-worker that the friend’s son, who lives with her, tested positive for COVID. I freaked out and grew exceptionally angry. I talked to a manager because I was in the breakroom, maskless, for a short period of time around her and may have been exposed. He told me that due to the delay in her getting a COVID test (she was going the following weekend – this is when she called out of work), it was too late – because I had no symptoms it was likely I did not contract it. Her entire family became sick – assumingly with a form of COVID since her son likely exposed all of them.
After 14 days, she returned to work. She did not say a word to me. I brought Christmas gifts for her and her grand-daughter (as I have done for 8 years since the child was born). I approached her – she was angry/had an attitude – I asked where she wanted the gifts to which she proceeded to cough. To which I said, I don’t think you should have come back as of yet. She said “what next year” (a week later) and told me her son tested negative. Then she proceeded to stop speaking to me and told me later “she did not want any gifts”.
Uh. She is angry at me? For what? Telling certain people who were in proximity to her that they may have been exposed? Giving her gifts for Christmas?
It was her responsibility to reach out to everyone potentially affected and let them know they may have been exposed. What MORON comes to work not feeling well?? (There actually was another moron who did come to work snotting and sick who did get sent home – turned out she tested positive for COVID also). What MORON continues to work when they are sick? What kind of person gets angry because the people who may be put at risk are told they may be at risk? She gave permission for our mutual friend to share the info, by the way.
Someone that selfish and irresponsible is not someone I want to be friends with. The silence is well appreciated. I am thankful that I did not contract – the Plague!