Stopped by Elders Rocky Hill to look for Christmas lights and something to put on the end of an extendo pole so I could put them in some trees, and some light bulbs. They were out of lights, but Julie the clerk, the queen of cool, turned me on to these Alexa light bulbs that you made turn different colors by telling Alexa to turn it from white to red to blue to whatever. She also helped me find a little paint roller handle that I can use to help string the lights in a tree. Everyone was masked and making an effort to do their own small part to help stop the spread. I felt pretty good about getting out of the house and making the effort to help out a local business.

Plus, I'm thinking about getting an electric bike, so I had to make the trip to Sutherland/Homberg to check out a couple bike stores so I was going to be by Elders Bearden so maybe they would have lights. I stopped by and they did! Score! Four boxes for almost the same price as Amazon (34.99 a box) and I figured I'd do business with them. Well they were having a big social to do with some clerks and a customer who, unmasked, crowded me in line before deciding to look at the marks an step back to the marked spacing. I stepped back about ten feet out of the line, gave my spot to the bio-terrorist, circled back around, put the lights back and left through the door farthest I could find from that cashier.

I'll trade with Amazon until our local merchants can come together on some kind of policy. I now know better than to trade with the Bearden Elders Hardware. You can't stay safe shopping local in Knoxville. It's getting to the point where it's not worth the effort.