One of the things Covid did was keep me from my corner stores, but even with the recent uptick in Covid I’m pretty much getting back to venturing out publicly. So, apparently, are a lot of people around here. Before Covid hit, I was pretty well known as “that nice white lady who’s gonna tell you to vote.” I hope to reestablish that relationship, but my confidence in public settings has taken quite a hit from the pandemic.
Where I live there are three places within a mile and a half from my house where you can buy stuff, and they’re all corner stores You might know them as convenience stores. One’s across from the fire station, one’s close to the sheriff’s station and across the street from a cemetery, and one’s near the library and the health department and walking distance from a big public housing community.
I like all of them, but that last one’s my favorite one. The guy who owns it is from India, and he and I enjoy talking about recipes. The main cashier there is also from India, and he likes to sing his answers to any questions you ask him. That’s where I went last Tuesday.
I stood in line and noticed that the old Black guy that’s usually there waiting to buy lottery tickets was standing in his normal place, close to the cash register but patiently waiting for the non-lottery ticket buying people to clear before he embarked on his transaction. We made eye contact as usual. I smiled, he didn’t, and that was totally fine because that’s the only way we’d ever interacted the dozens of times we’d seen each other. I finally got to the singing cashier, and I couldn’t contain myself. “Happy indictment day,” I said with a huge grin. I truly was having a good day.
And guess what happened? The lottery ticket guy chuckled! We made eye contact again, and there was a gleam in his eye that I’d never seen.
Two days later I went back. Same cashier, same lottery guy. When it was my turn to check out, I said, “Happy arraignment day!” And the lottery guy chuckled again.
I think I’ve made a new friend. And that gives me confidence that even in this post-Covid world, I can still do my part in getting out the vote on the corner store circuit.