Yesterday was one of the most anxiety-ridden days I’ve experienced in a while. I made a choice that, if things had gone wrong, it could have changed my life and my family’s life forever. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after weighing the pros and cons, I decided that the risk was worth taking, if only for the sake of knowing how other people were handling this current situation we find ourselves in. I discussed it with my husband. We made some contingency plans in case things went south. Then, I hopped in the car and went to my task.
I went to get my hair cut at a salon I had found on the “black market.”
Okay, so it wasn’t THAT big of a deal, but there were times during the experience when I felt true anxiety over the course I had chosen. Was this a sting? Did California Governor Gavin Newsom start fake “shadow salons” to trap people like me who simply wanted to get our hair cut while supporting a local business? Would the stylists or the salon owner be in danger of getting arrested like Shelley Luther? Were they going to send Child Protective Services to the salon owner’s home like they did with Lindsey Graham?
At the end of the day, it worked out. We all practiced social distancing. We were all wearing masks. The stylist and salon owner had both been rejected for unemployment because they were considered independent contractors, so their only recourse was to work. It felt good to help them as both are concerned about being able to keep their families from being homeless and keeping food on the table.
Nevertheless, the frustration was evident. They don’t want government assistance. They just want to work. And they were determined to do so safely, sterilizing everything between customers. I, too, found myself constantly disinfecting. But in the end they made a new customer and I got my hair cut, both of which were long overdue. We detailed the entire experience on the latest episode of the NOQ Report Podcast.
People are falling through the cracks. But many of this nation’s problems can be solved if we simply open up America for business. We can do so as safely as possible, but it must be done immediately. The longer the lockdown lasts, the more people will suffer.
Check out the NEW NOQ Report Podcast.
