Social distancing is likely to be with us for several months, maybe over a year? Social gatherings will be moderated to 25 or fewer? Masks likely to be worn in many settings, certainly in public spaces where shopping, milling about, or standing in lines to get into theaters, auditoriums, and the like.
In-store shopping will remain, especially at the small convenience outlets. Probably department stores will disappear. Big box stores will likely remain, but with distancing built in. maybe the big box places will slowly disappear as customers buy on-line after visiting a demo site where they can see, feel and operate an item?
I know I have trouble getting the right fit for clothing. I pretty much have shirts down OK; but pants and shoes are much more variable. Even manufactures differ on fit: some are generous, some are tight. I hate the thought of buying something then not having it fit and returning it by mail or UPS. Not comfortable. Not quick. Not easy. The refund transaction lingers until credited to the account.
Phone traffic will rely on identified names and numbers for callers. That way when I am expecting a call from Store X or Company Z, I see their name and pick up. Otherwise I think it is spam and ignore. Identified callers will become a thing.
Car buying is a stumper. I think I would like to see and feel the car before committing to the purchase. With the decision made I don’t much care about the paper work or how the car will be delivered to me. Of course I might need help in learning how to use the newer gadgets, but I’m sure the owners manual or CD/YouTube tutor will help me with that.
A real poser are classrooms. I know kids will learn over computer connections, but they will miss the camaraderie of classmates as well as learning the social ABC’s. Home schoolers often have social problems; parents have to intentionally plan social interactions for their kids. Often these are in church, or music or dance lessons. Or some other involvement. But think again: will Boy Scouts or youth groups remain the same in a socially distanced environment? How else can we manage transmission of diseases?
Back to the drawing board. Medical practices will change, so too, hospitals. Emergency rooms may never be the same again! Especially the waiting rooms.
Drug stores weathered the storm pretty well, but the general merchandise carried may change greatly. Cosmetics will likely be mail-order. Same with health aids, combs, hair brushes, reading glasses and a thousand other inventoried items.
In general, I will miss the personal shopping experience. I liked browsing the aisles of drugstores and general merchandisers. Once a quick errand, it often was entertainment. Remember those days? Window shopping was a thing in my kid hood. We used to walk the main streets and peer into store windows to see what they had. Specially on Sunday afternoons! We’d stroll downtown streets and see what the fashion for furniture, clothing, and even new book titles. Shopping as entertainment. It was all of that.
Oh, there were the long ago days we could barely wait for the new Sears, Roebuck catalog, or Penney’s. we’d loll on the couch for hours looking through the items and expanding our wish lists. Well, I guess that was good training for what to expect in the future. At least the future more immediate to us now. Only the catalogs are on-line and by store.
Maybe life in these United States will resume some of the old normal eventually, but for now, care is the watchword. Best we stick with it.
May 14, 2020
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