Yep.

We were driving over to a local restaurant for a food pickup with friends. Everybody vaccinated. We used her car, because it was new and she wanted to show it off, and why not? Ten minute drive, no big deal.

And halfway there, Deb realized we didn't have our masks.

Of course not. We never take our masks — WE NEVER HAVE TO. We have masks in both cars, plus spares, plus disposable masks for company. We just had not been in someone else's car for... um... ever, since the COVID lockdown started. Fourteen months?

And suddenly the drive to the restaurant flipped to being in a vehicle with someone else in control and I didn't have a mask and I couldn't protect Deb and we were driving to a strange place and nobody knew what would happen at the restaurant and it was all strange suddenly and there was the restaurant and OMG ALL THOSE PEOPLE—

Riding the razer edge between an anxiety attack and not embarrassing my wife in public.

We picked up the meals. It was fine (server had a mask—I over-tipped because I didn't). We drove home (with me watching the driver the whole time, who suddenly had loads of driving peculiarities that had not presented during the drive over). It was fine (nobody died).

I see dread and anxiety in my future. Not sure how I'm gonna handle that. Possibly with a spare mask in my pocket whenever I step out of the house.