Meet Nick Lamalfa (he/him), an attendant at a very busy gas station in upstate New York right on the highway. Throughout this pandemic we are realizing that people who work in various service industries such as gas stations, supermarkets, and fast food venues are much more essential and valuable than we have ever given them credit for. These humans are on another type of ‘front line’ that keeps our medical professionals, public safety officials, and well…all of us running. “We are still here - people have to get necessities, like gas. There are doctors who come in that we have to fuel so they can go out and fight Corona. They’re in the hospitals fighting it and we are here fighting it in a different way.”
Without attendants like Nick, we wouldn’t be able to get those neccesary fuels to keep our days going and get where we need to be - whether it be caffeine or a gas tank fill up. Although with that said, business has still been effected in a down tick to what they are used to at Nicks gas station. “We have maybe half the business we did before the coronavirus inside the store, and most loss is in food sales. It’s been rough.” Nick tells us although business has been struggling he has not lost any hours and he picks up an extra day or so a week on a regular basis.
Sanitation, in high traffic places especially, is on the forefront of everyones minds when they leave their houses in todays world. “If you’re coming into the gas station, sanitize yourself and keep yourself clean. We can’t trust everyone that walks through the door.” Nick is concerned and tells us “ if they (patrons) aren’t taking the precautions to protect themselves, they’re hurting everyone else… to me personally, gas pumps are the third dirtiest things on the planet next to our cell phones and money, even before corona.”
We agree - in fact there have been many studies to show this. I recall an article I read in Forbes recently that on a “normal” pre-corona day, over 70% of gas pump handles are contaminated with germs that can make you sick. Now, put that into a present day scenario. This statistic makes the current situation extremely dangerous. Personally (and I’m no professional, just saying what I’ve done to combat this statistic), I have been keeping gloves in the center console for use to pump, immediately trash them, and then I sanitize my hands. If you don’t have gloves, wet wipes, a shopping bag - something to create a barrier- would likely suffice.
The gas stations are doing all they can to sanitize, as protocols have changed. “We are selling masks, hand sanitizer, and wipes. Anything you need to prevent the spread we carry. We are sanitizing now every hour on the hour, copying a model from CVS as our boss works for CVS as well as here.” As far as employees go, everyone wears a mask. Nick also told us that patrons do as well, “maybe 1 in 4 people don’t.”
Nick tells us he had his own personal Coronavirus scare where he was showing symptoms of the virus and had to take time off work to register at a testing facility. The process for testing is more unusual than showing up at an ER or urgent care. “You call a number where they ask you questions and then you will get a confirmation number. Then they tell you what facility to go and get tested at. When you drive in, military personnel with a clipboard ask for your confirmation number. You have to show it to them and type in your cell phone number to be registered. They set the swab literally right up on your nasal cavity. I feel bad because I felt like I had to sneeze. I sneezed twice on the swab and felt rude, but they were very understanding. I got a call with the negative results in a little over 48 hours.” All of the stories we have heard of those who had gotten tested expressed the test was fast, uncomfortable, but those that are administering it are sensitive to the fact you feel like garbage.
“For me, everyday life is still there.” Nick tells us, as his fiancee is working from home. They had to make arrangements in their home for her to be able to work, and he have his own space as well. “She’s definitely going stir crazy, tired of being home. I can’t imagine what anybody is feeling that regularly goes to the gym, or has a very regular routine.” The dynamic of relationships in quarantine is one to be spoken for as well. It’s interesting how couples are coping having one partner working from home and the other going into work on the daily, or those cases where they are being cooped up inside with each other 24/7. The foundation of differences has to be communication. We have to openly communicate with our partners now more than ever, as this is a difficult time for everybody. It’s very hard to keep relationships in our lives healthy -whether it be platonic or romantic -when the whole world is feeling off. To set aside some time once a week at least and do a check in with your partner, or those you are quarantined with is wildly underrated. As humans, we all cope with things differently, and right now we are all grieving something. Whether that loss is a routine, the gym, our families, friends, or a favorite meal from a closed restaurant - it’s okay to feel however you’re feeling.
Nick leaves the interview with an ask not only for himself, but for others who are taxed mentally and physically from working out in the public during this time. “Everyone has to be safe, please keep yourselves clean, and remember that people who work in gas stations are rarely are recognized or respected. We have to deal with the angriest and most frustrated people. Just because the pandemic is going on, no one is entitled. Take it as a regular day to treat people with respect.”
This interview left me with a lot to think about, and many important messages. To recap, I hope you heard from this that we need to thank these workers too. We need to protect others by following the necessary protocols set by the CDC, and we need to communicate with those we love about how we are feeling. Whether it’s to get it off our chest, or tell our loved ones what we need. Create healthy boundaries and habits to make quarantine the best it can be. I”m not going to sit here and tell you it’s always going to be sunshine and butterflies - as I said everyone is dealing with this at a different pace. What I’m doing and I encourage others to do is look at this from the perspective of grace. Show gratitude, learn what you can, and accept love.
Thank you to Nick and all other essential workers, regardless of your titles.
// Please note all quoted statements above are those of Mr. Lamalfa and not reflective of Faiella Studios.