This is a letter to the people of Melbourne.
I am a supermarket worker and today was hard. Just like it was three weeks ago and just like it was in March and April.
Watch: Thank you to masks. Post continues below.
Firstly to the kind customers who were quick, polite and respectful, thank you.
To the fearful, we are not counsellors or psychologists but I hope we were able to ease your fear a little bit.
To people panic buying, please just stop unless it's toilet paper. We have loads out the back and could use the space.
To the people complaining about the panic buyers but also having a trolley full to the brim of items, you don't fool us.
To the people asking in a panic when we're getting more meat, tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. Please buy responsibly.
To the old lady who stuck her hand under her mask to lick her finger so she could separate her notes, I hope my delivery was kind yet stern enough that you now know that that practice is unacceptable in the current climate (well really at any time, it's super gross).
To the people I served more than once today, did you really need to come back again?
To the regulars I serve every day sometimes twice a day, same question.
To the people who have been caught being horrible to workers, thank you for reminding everyone else to be kind to retail staff.
People have changed their tune since March. We no longer get "thank you for being here" or "thank you for risking your lives". Lately, it's been angry statements about having to wear masks, like it's our fault.
But since the videos of people lashing out at us, people have been slightly nicer.
And finally, to all my retail workers out there in Melbourne today, we are strong. Thank you for standing by me and each other.
Let's all have a beer when we can again.
This post originally appeared on the Mamamia Outlouders Facebook page and has been republished here with full permission.
Feature image: Supplied.
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