|
OBSERVATIONS
April 28, 2020 |
 |
To honor the seniors deprived of their final weeks of high school,
the lights were turned on at Johnston County's athletic fields for 20 minutes at 8:20 (20:20) Thursday night (photo posted on the school system's Twitter page).
 Wingate Lassiter |
Compliance with social distancing?
Many are obedient; others not so much
I've been negatively impressed in recent weeks with how many folks continue to fill the parking lots at big-box stores like Walmart and Lowes Home Improvement despite warnings about close public contact during the coronavirus outbreak.
This past Saturday, for the first time I put on a medical mask and dared to walk the aisles of Walmart to see for myself how things are going.
The answer: It's not as bad inside as it looks outside. For the most part, customers were keeping their six-foot distance, and there were no traffic jams in the aisles as I walked through the retail side of the huge store (I avoided the grocery section, figuring it would be crowded with shoppers as all grocery stores these days).
I was disappointed to observe many folks shopping without masks.
Through it all, I'm disturbed that Walmart and Lowes have permission to be open for sales of "essential" as well as "non-essential" items since the start of a statewide shutdown of many retail and service businesses. Doesn't seem quite fair to me.
On Sunday I experienced a touching example of social distancing where perhaps a hundred or more friends and neighbors gathered on both sides of a residential street to show their support and sympathy for a family leaving their residence to
attend a private funeral service.
Those who gathered appeared to be observing proper distancing as they stood along several blocks as the family drove by. A somber occasion it was, yet also an uplifting event as friends and neighbors were able to greet one another in person after recent weeks of social isolation.
In sum, it appears to me there are those among us who will continue to take care when venturing into public places and others who refuse to accept the potential danger of invisible coronavirus contamination. Whether a governor of any state orders folks to stay at home, or not, my guess is that some people will continue to move about with caution while others will pretty do much as they please --- which in itself is good reason to keep your distance until things get better.
It appeared to be business as usual at Smithfield's Walmart this past Saturday, although customers were required to use just one of the store's two entrances.
Another contribution to our
SMITHFIELD'S BLOOMING COLLECTION . . .
Tim Johnson sent us this photo of five varieties of plants presently blooming in his backyard, including red Knock Out roses, honeysuckle on the left, purple and white clematis mixed with Confederate jasmine on the center pergola posts.
To view a larger version of Tim's picture, follow this link>
Got a comment or a question?
If so, send an e-mail to editor@smithfieldweeklysun.com.
Or, if you prefer, mail a letter to P.O. Box 1363, Smithfield, N.C. 27577.
We'll confirm receipt of your correspondence and, if any or all of it is appropriate for publication, we'll ask your permission to print before we "go to press." If we publish your submission, all we will show is your name and place of residence. Neither your e-mail address nor your complete postal address will be shared with our readers or anyone else.
To make verification simpler, please sign up as a subscriber if you haven't already done so, using the online form below:
RETURN TO THE SMITHFIELD WEEKLY SUN FRONT PAGE