Back in September, my school experienced an outbreak of HFM (Hand Foot Mouth) disease.
During the outbreak, everyone became overly cautious about themselves and germs in relation to the attempt to stay healthy. So cautious in fact, that people would start to wear surgical masks to parties that said things like “no hookup” or funny things to get people to stay away. As if that thin little surgical mask is going to stop you from getting HFM. Not the grinding on people, not the sweat dripping or the sharing of drinks. The mask.
Now, keep in mind, HFM has really fizzled out and hasn’t really been an issue here for about a few months now. So, you can understand my surprise when I was walking behind a girl on my way to class this morning, in brisk but not unmanageable temperatures, who I overheard say to her friend that she was “too lazy to find a scarf so she wore a surgical mask instead.”
I sped up and around so I could see for myself.
Low and behold, a girl definitely older than I, was wearing a blue surgical mask to mask the cold. Literally. Mask the cold. Get it. Because it’s a mask.
I’m not saying that I have never been lazy before. I was quite the couch potato and still am sometimes. But I would never. Under any circumstances. Wear a surgical mask if I couldn’t find a scarf. Screw it , I would be cold. But at least I wouldn’t be walking around looking like I just came out of the operating room.
I just have so many questions.
Who has surgical masks in abundance just hanging around ready to be used?
What would make you think that a thin piece of paper would protect you from the cold?
Was it really that difficult to find a scarf?
Or did you not own a scarf? Which in that case, I would recommend that purchase.
There are a lot of smart people that go here. Many of them aspiring engineers. So why can’t people figure it out? Asking for a friend.