Did that man just yell at us?

Is it just me (and I'm okay with it if it is), but can you feel the vulnerable air? The ripe and hungry  and mutant air where anything and everything can hide and breed? Is it just me, or does it freak you out when the person ahead of you hangs out of her open car door at the drive-up window, sprawling toward the intercom seductively, like something you might see bellied up at the bar at closing time, spilling out her personal, private facts for all to judge?

Is it just me (and I really hope it isn't), or do you sometimes hoard righteousness for following the rules? For your mindfulness and your "right action"? After all, we brought along our masks, our sanitizer, our common sense and goodwill toward all. We planned ahead.

Is it just me, or are you afraid?

"Is he yelling at us?" I asked TCF after we yelled back the numbers he shout-demanded from us out of the Walgreens window intercom.

"Copay and ID," he said.

"We prepaid," we said.

"COPAY! You also need COPAY! COPAY!" he insisted.

"But we prepaid," we said again.

"Then you need the CODE! The CODE!"

Naturally, we had it ready and took our cue, said our line, the one we prepped for. "3—"

"Wait sir! Wait sir! Wait sir! I'm not ready! Can you wait a minute? Wait sir!"

We turned off the car. We waited. We hung out of the car like drunks at closing time and shouted back the code when he was ready. Meanwhile, the cars lined up behind us shook their heads, righteous in their obedience.