My name is John...
Hong Kong is a shopping paradise; with an epidemic looming over our heads, people are shopping-- shopping for masks. You can buy them everywhere; in pharmacies, even in street corners and newspaper stands. Leave it to SARS to bring another business opportunity. The artificial demand makes it a lucrative business, too. A pack of 5 disposable allegedly surgical masks will set you back 20 HKD. 4 bucks for a mask? Geez, talk about taking advantage of mass hysteria. Some street hawkers are even wearing white lab gowns for that air of medical authenticity.
The masks come in a whole range of colours. There's clinical white, conservative blue, flashy pink, and the icky-black grayish ones which look like you've been using them for quite a few days. Wearing them on the streets does look a bit strange. The first guy who starts marketing Hello Kitty surgical masks is sure to hit a goldmine...
You can appreciate the attempts at creativity of some people. There are these little cloth-covered cardboard things you can put over your mask which come in different colors and designs, so folks can still be safe and wear color-coordinated outfits! As for me, I'm still looking for that cowboy hat that goes with the kerchief over my face... maybe some spurrs for my boots, too... oh, and a mangy mare.
I wore one when I went to the doctor the other day. No flu-like symptoms, thank God. Anyway, I was Scooby-doo scared of being exposed to some other sick patient at the clinic so I tried wearing one. ER and Chicago Hope parallels aside, it's really uncomfortable, not to mention the false sense of security that it fosters. I'd feel safer with those gas masks the coalition forces are wearing in Iraq to protect against dirty bombs. Plus, it would look really, really cool.
Speaking of going to the doctor, mine calls me John. With all my names he must have just picked out the one he liked most. Which is fine with me, although now he thinks I'm either very inattentive, or deaf, since the nurse has to call me 3 or 4 times before I respond. Which is still fine, since last time I checked, being deaf is not in the list of symptoms for SARS.
