Return to Costco

I went to Costco today for the first time since March 4. There was meat now! Actually most things appeared to be in stock (though I didn't look at the cleaning supplies section), and I was able to get everything on my list.

I went about 20 minutes after they opened, and it wasn't especially busy, though it's been as crowded as it ever was most of the time when I drive past. Everyone there was wearing a mask - one guy had his pulled under his nose, but he was off to the side and maybe had pulled it down to speak on the phone? Like most other places, stickers marked spacing for customers, and big signs reminded us to keep 6 feet apart. Most people were very good about spreading out, or waiting until someone was out of the way before moving in.

Plexiglas partitions separated cashiers from customers. There was a little hole in the shield, which I used to hand my membership card through. Then the cashier told me, "We're not allowed to touch your cards." I must have missed a sign about that somewhere.

Leaving the store, there's still a guy checking off receipts, though he doesn't take it from you or actually draw a line down the receipt like they used to.

Speaking of touchless activities, I got gas yesterday (second time since March... was finally down to 1/4 tank), and the gas pump did not ask for my zip code after swiping my credit card. I assume they've been reprogrammed like this to avoid contact with the buttons.

The one thing I really noticed I missed was the ability to smile at people. I didn't realize how much I relied on smiling! I put on my mask before getting out of my car, and before I could open my door, a woman opened her passenger door next to me, and I tried to smile to indicate, "It's ok, I can wait to get out," but I don't know if that was communicated. Then I wanted to smile at the employee checking membership cards at the door. I found myself smiling at other customers as we waited for each other to pass. And even at the check-out line, a baby in the cart in front of me was smiling at me and pointing at something in my cart, and I couldn't smile back like I usually do to kids. I ended up waving 😃