Sooo, this may be a long post... I have a problem keeping things concise.... Anyway:

My family went to Mystic Aquarium today. Instead of a party, my child wanted to go to the Aquarium for her birthday, which I thought was awesome! It was my family of 5 (gotta keep that conservative, Trump-supporting Christian birth rate up!), my parents and nephew: so 8 of us.

Since we have a lousy Governor (possibly worse than Cuomo), masks are mandated everywhere in CT. Even thought Mr. Covid left here and hasn't been seen for months. I try telling people that masks are useless if you're healthy, and may do more harm to young children (not one study has been done yet! 😡), but its CT, so most people are effectively brainwashed.

So, we walk in (after getting our temperature checked) and are watching the Baluga's. Nice day out, a bunch of people, but not crazy busy. Pretty good for a birthday! I have an nice trimmed beard, and sometimes my mask slides down my nose.

While I'm watching my kids, smiling, Karen the Mask Nazi (staff) comes over and reminds me to place my mask over my nose. Fine, I say, and I comply. About 5 minutes later, at the seal exhibit I think, our youngest has a poopy diaper. Great! My wife and I change him on a concrete platform (no changing station in the bathroom??), and as we walk back to the seals, Karen the Mask Nazi again tells me to put the mask on my nose. I smile at her and say "Oh, did it slip off again? Sorry!" and I comply again. Now, I was smiling at her and trying to be friendly, however she can't see that I'm smiling because I have a mask on!

Our family walks another 5 minutes down the "route" and visits another exhibit or two. Out of the corner of my eye, I think I see her trailing us. I'm not sure, as I'm trying to enjoy the day with my family, and I'm pushing a stroller, but I sense her behind us.

We then arrive at another exhibit, maybe penguins, and our youngest, in the stroller, is fussing. He's only a couple months old. It's sunny, and a little hot, and he's in a new place. We've all been there as parents. I try and talk to him, but no dice. So I push the stroller away from everyone, pull the mask down below my nose and mouth, and smile at him while talking. He sees me and we lock eyes. Success! ...... except, guess who's there!!?? Karen the Mask Nazi walks right up to me and says "Now sir, you really have to put that mask on!"

Now, I start to get a little upset... I tell her why I took it down, and show her that I'm distancing myself. I tell her that I'm trying to console my child! She grabs her radio and says "Well, we'll just have to get security over here."

At this point, my blood pressure rises. I start acting defensive. I say "Yes, please call them, because now you're harassing me. And after they get here, I'm gonna have to speak to your supervisor." Now that I think about it, that was kinda a "Karen" thing to say... but oh well.

I'm still talking to my child, sming, consoling him, with the mask off. I decide to keep on enjoying the Aquarium, and I walk around for a minute or two while more staff arrive. I eye a few penguins, ponder their lifestyle and diet, then decide to have my Wife take our youngest. That way, I can do what I have to do when the "additional staff" arrive.

Within 3 minutes, a lady approaches Karen the Mask Nazi, then speaks to me. I inform her that Karen has been following me around, harassing me, while my family is trying to enjoy the Aquarium. I basically list off everything I wrote above. I then say, "If you cannot handle this, I need to speak to YOUR boss. This lady is harassing me, and I don't want her anywhere near myself or my family!" I debate taking my cellphone out and recording the confrontation. I thought it would be a good idea, but I also thought it might escalate the issue too. I decide against it, although I do mention to the lady that I could.

I'm definitely shaking with adrenaline at this point. I'm not a very aggressive person, but when I feel that I or my family are being targeted, I become very focused at minimizing the threat.

The lady tells me I can sit and the shade and wait for her boss to arrive. I agree. My family, after seeing all manner of penguin activity, and ready to move on, sit in the shade about 50 feet away.

After 2 more minutes, a Supervisor approaches the nice lady and Karen the Mask Nazi. 30 seconds later, she speaks to me. I, again, go through the whole story. I mention the Birthday, the family, even me wearing a mask then. However, my main concern, I say, is that Karen stay away from me or my family. For the rest of the day.

The Supervisor apologizes, says that staff are still trying to figure out how to deal with masks. I agree, but state harrassment is still wrong. I say that she followed me, through multiple exhibits, while walking past people who had a mask on below their nose (just like I did). Nothing was said to them.

The Supervisor offers to refund my whole family's admission cost (around $200+ total). I pull my tickets out, ready to agree. Then I stop myself. In a split second, I consider who I am. I'm a conservative Republican. A Christian. A father, a husband. And it's my child's Birthday. I put the tickets back in my pocket and say "No, I'm not taking money away from the animals, the Aquarium. We came here to see the animals, it's what my child wanted to do. Keep the money, the Aquarium needs it to provide for the animals, so that children can continue to see them."

The Supervisor thanks me, and apologizes again for the harrassment. I tell her that I'll be fine, as long as that lady (Karen the Mask Nazi) stays away from me and my family for the rest of the day. Even though she agreed that taking off the mask, lowering it, adjusting it are OK, she still believed they are neccessary. I decided against teaching her about how germs and masks work. As you can tell, I am NOT concise! KEK

We then go on and enjoy the rest of the Aquarium. My child had a Great Birthday!

I make sure to tell my family all the details of what happened, and why.

So that's it, Pedes. Maybe Karen the Mask Nazi didn't get totally BTFO, but I didn't see her for the rest of the day, and the two Supervisors I spoke to were definitely in my side.

What do you think? Were there things I coulda done better? I know I'm not at breakfast burrito level freedom, but I'm trying!

MAGA!