Colm O'Regan: Are we doing the masks thing or not?

“Cmere? Are we doing the masks thing or NOT, like? What’s going on?”

This is the question I ask myself in my Corkiest internal accent every time I walk into a shop. I keep my head tilted downwards to the ground so as not to make eye-contact with anyone in case they think I’m judging them for not wearing a mask. I want them to know: “Look, I only want my Monday ‘just-the-one’ can of Prazsky and my Dairy Milk and I’ll be on my way. I don’t want any trouble.”