Like a scene from a Dystopian, Sci-fi: today at the post office

i needed to mail something at the post office here in switzerland today. i would have rather avoided it altogether, but there wasn't much choice if i wanted to get paid...

so, as i approached, i notice a giant line formed. single file, with quite a bit of space between everyone. as i started walking to the back of the line, i notice the tape marking out 2 meters distance between each spot, where we were expected to stand.

about 20-30% had masks on. most were the surgical masks. i wondered to myself if they were sick or protecting themselves.
one guy with a mask pulled out a tissue and wiped his forehead, then dabbed around his neck. it's cold out today, so i immediately thought, oh shit, this guy is sick, and here in line. i wanted to call him out, but withheld.

i waited about 20 minutes before i finally arrived at the entrance. every once in a while, the smell of sick drifted through the air. not vomit sick, but the smell you smell when you go near someone that is sick. hard to explain, but you maybe know what i mean.

i kept my distance and thought to myself that i had maybe made a mistake by coming, but didn't have much choice. when i was at the door, i was given a sign to enter by an employee, and told which window to go to.

the post here always had glass enclosures with a speaker/mic system to communicate and a small slot to pass things back and forth. there is a section that opens like a window, upwards, so that larger packages can be dropped off or picked up. when i approached, and said what i wanted, the woman told me to leave the small package on the counter and step back two steps. i did, and she collected it. i paid and got out of there a quickly as possible.

i might not have been able to portray the eery feeling at all well, but it was really crazy. like a film.

anyone else have any strange experiences? i know you're a bit behind us here in the states, but i can imagine some crazy measures will soon be starting there soon too.



stay well and safe.


edit: haha. the cheers emoji is definitely not the same as cheer