Since March 2020, my family has self defined itself as a “non-essential” family. If we want takeout, we order it for curbside. We don’t go shopping unnecessarily and we don’t go to the movies. I haven’t seen my mother’s side of the family for almost a full year at this point.
It seems like a pretty basic thing to do, to stay home and wear your mask when you go out. However, Tennesseans haven’t figured it out and our Governor Bill Lee doesn’t intend to help. Instead of enforcing any sort of mask mandate, he measly suggests we wear a mask. Every store in my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee has a sign on their front door that reads “No Mask, No Service.” But how many really enforce that policy?
If you find yourself at our local “Super” Target, there are employees with masks hanging under their noses and maskless customers. At Sonic, some employees don’t even bother wearing a mask and at Kroger, anti-maskers sit on the benches by the front door shouting, “You don’t need a mask!” to any mask wearer. Almost no establishment truly enforces this policy.
The only exception happens to be the restaurant I work at. To respect the owner’s privacy, I won’t disclose the name of the restaurant nor describe the type of food it serves because it’s the only of its kind in Knoxville. We’re a local business with a total of two locations on opposite sides of town. My job is to deliver food, greet those who enter our small shop, and also stop customers who aren’t wearing masks.
We are one of the few places in Knoxville, which was once a global hotspot for COVID-19, that denies service to those who refuse to wear a mask. Our yellow sign on the door doesn’t act like a deterrent to anti-maskers, though. It’s often ignored.
I’ve heard every excuse in the book: “I have a medical exemption,” “It’s not a law,” “You can’t deny me service,” and “It’s really sad you would discriminate against someone with differing political views.” Most of the time I grab my manager to deescalate these situations but sometimes these anti-maskers are aching for some confrontation.
On one occassion, a man came into the restaurant and I politely asked if he had a mask. When he replied that he didn’t, I offered him one. He left the restaurant but came in moments later through our second entrance. When again prompted to wear a mask, he angrily put one on. He was picking up a to-go order and while he paid, he snapped at my coworker, “Go get my food b****.” After he paid, he ripped his mask off and threw the mask and receipt at our cashier. He yelled throughout the store about how ridiculous the staff and establishment were for requiring masks.
It’s upsetting to witness and even experience these interactions as they have become the norm in retail and dining businesses across the country. Anti-maskers consider wearing a mask to be some sort of political stance when, in reality, it is far from one, at least I don’t think so. I wear a mask for the sake of my safety and the safety of those around me.
I can’t speak on behalf of other places in the south, but many people in Tennessee will strike a judgemental glance if you wear a mask. As if you are the one doing something wrong. It’s pathetic to think that two local business owners care more about my health and safety rather than my state legislators. They’re risking potential business, bearing the load of these bad reviews, and sticking up for their staff to ensure we don’t get sick and endanger our loved ones. Meanwhile, Bill Lee’s wife becomes sick with COVID-19 yet he barely suggests us to wear a mask.
I love Tennessee. I love Dolly Parton, our beautiful sunsets, and the incomparable view of the mountains. Before this pandemic began, Tennesseans were quick to hold open a door and walk you out to your car at night. Now, it is rare to see those same people as they are all staying inside as suggested. I’m excited for the day when restrictions ease as the entire world is.
Right now, the “southern charm” I believed in so much growing up is diminishing before my eyes. All I see are the stereotypes that I once thought to be false. It’s truly heartbreaking.