SCRANTON, Pa. — Gerrity's owner Joe Fasula and I agreed; walking around the grocery store without the piece of cloth we've all grown used to over the last year felt strange, but freeing.
Fasula had just spent most of the day making a tough decision.
"There are so many different opinions on this. I got three phone calls this morning on it and every single person had a different opinion and every single different opinion went from one end of the spectrum to the other."
Ultimately, Fasula chose to let his fully vaccinated customers enjoy a mask-free trip to the supermarket if they so choose.
"It is going to be an honor system. There's no way we can police that. There's just no practical way to do it," said Fasula.
Customers we talked to were hesitant at first, especially since the supermarket had just made the decision a few minutes earlier, but some warmed up to the idea rather quickly.
Carol Crappella said she was going to keep her mask on at first, but changed her mind while we interviewed her.
"I'm so happy. See? I'm going to take my mask off. I'm very happy. It feels wonderful," she said as she removed her mask.
At The Barrel Family Restaurant in Covington Township, a sign of the times sits on the lunch counter. A newspaper headline announces a change so many have longed to see, including the owner here, Michael Grimes.
Grimes said his initial reaction to the news was: "Hooray. Thank God it's over."
He's leaving it up to his customers and his staff to decide whether they want to stay masked up or ditch 'em.
"Most of my staff is vaccinated. Some of them still want to wear their masks, some of them don't. I'm glad to let them make up their own mind," said Grimes.
The CDC says it's up to individual businesses to decide their new policies. But most people we talked to are at least adopting their own personal policy of - "to each their own."
"I think it's everyone's choice. But I don't feel, in public, when I'm around a lot of people, like I want to take my mask off," said Marsha Gilbride of Throop.
"If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you don't, don't. Respect everybody else's decision and I'm good with that," said Grimes.
Governor Wolf says unvaccinated people should still wear a mask until 70% of all adults in the state get the shot.