You can do your best, but the moment you step outside you assume the risk of everyone else’s actions.

Back when my now husband was just some cute classmate of mine at university in Santiago, Chile, he had a penchant (still does tbh) for graphic tees. So these t-shirts would say all sorts of stupid shit, and I was always like come on man, really with the graphic tees? Mind you all of them were in English, and my husband’s English was not fluent at that time, and these shirts are somewhat NSFW, making them even more bizarre in the context of 2010’s Chilean fashion. But there was one shirt to reign them all, which I just couldn’t stand. It was a white tee, with a large graphic of the back of a semi-truck, and in red and black block letters said “BACK THE FUCK UP” and you guys when I saw this shirt I was just like… why? Why is this even on a shirt, why is it in Chilean stores? Why did this otherwise intelligent young man buy this ridiculous and profane shirt?

So this dumbass shirt has always been a joke and point of contention in our 7+ year relationship. I even went so far as to tell him not to even bring it to the US to my apartment, it was serious.

Now why the astro-fudge-brownie am I telling this story? Well this shirt is my new motto. BACK. THE. FUCK. UP. The whole Covid-19 thing has me feeling some type of way, and so many of these feelings end in just frustration, anger, or a felling of helplessness. I’ve already posted on my Instagram briefly about being a vulnerable or at-risk person, and let me tell you everything that comes with that label is heavy as FUCK.

Some of us still need to leave our homes for ongoing medical care, it just isn’t an option not to. I suit up, mask, hat, sanitizer for days right? I do my best, but the moment I step outside I’ve now assumed the risk of everyone else’s actions, and the other day these people were just getting way too close to me, fucking CLUELESS. Guess what I wanted to shout in their faces? Back the FUCK UP! Like where is that damn tshirt now?! I desperately need my 6ft radius bitches.

Should we all be wearing these tees? A staggering number of people don’t seem to give a shit at all. It’s truly unbelievable the actions people have chosen to take in this situation with regard to endangering others health and safety. I don’t know if it is because I am school teacher, but adults choosing not to follow simple instructions makes me so mad. I want to call their grandmas and take away their cellphones for a week just like the 13 year olds in my class. Like “Excuse me Spring Break Brody, in this community we DO give a shit about the well being of others so if you’re not going to get it together, we’re calling mom, and no more White Claws or iPhone until you can show our community you can use them safely.”

Ugh….I feel like I need a major a Tina Belcher style “ughhh” after thinking about some of this stuff. It makes you want a T-shirt emblazoned with “Back the fuck up” just so that’s one less thing to remind yourself and others. Sadly I don’t think the shirt is still for sale, and the original is behind closed borders in Santiago. Rats.

To all my other vulnerable readers, and everyone else I hope people respect your space, your safety, and your health in this time of crisis.