Our great state of Kentucky is slowly emerging into a partially opened venue. We have gone to great lengths to do this with a safe process in place and even got recognition in a Washington Post article that deemed us and North Dakota, the only states that really meet the federal guidelines for re-opening. That is mind-melting. Anyway, our restaurants can start operating with in-person dining at a thirty-three percent capacity later this week. This chick will not be a patron, yet, but I am grateful that this could provide some financial relief to those businesses. Why not, Allison? Well, there are a variety of reasons.

First, our trusted leader has suggested that we only dine with the people in our quarantine tribe. Friends, I have been eating with these people for two months. They are delightful, but I need some new faces. Plus, here is my other deal. If I were to dine at a restaurant with said quarantine tribe, I don’t know where those other patrons have been. Let me use a very crass example. If you are offended, sorry, not sorry.

You are on a date with a delightful person. Things are going well and it is possible, that the attraction results in a very personal interaction. The moment has arrived, but you are questioning, who else this person might have had an “interaction” with and then, they opt for no protection. Hard pass, friends. (Excuse the pun.) It is the same with this virus thingy where someone doesn’t wear a mask and they are not socially distancing. You are wondering who else they have been in contact with and instantly grow wary of their presence. This includes people that I love. For me, I am unwilling to socialize with friends and family in a contained setting until we see a vast improvement in this situation. People might scoff at me and tell me that is ridiculous, but my goal in this weird place we are in, is to stay safe. Stay healthy. Along with remembering that by opting to wear a mask and not socializing in a contained setting, I am demonstrating my respect for others.

Everyone is going to make decisions that I might not agree with, but that is really none of my business. I just won’t be in attendance. It is not my job to enlighten people. I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem. I want my kid to be able to go back to college in the fall. I want Bailey to be able to go back to work. I want to be able to see my mother and hug her instead of waving at her through a window. I want to gather with my friends without barriers. These things won’t happen unless we use protection and opt to still maintain our social distance. I truly believe that.

People can throw around that their constitutional rights are being violated and that’s cool. They have a right to their beliefs. We can agree to disagree.