After being gone all weekend, and living through a sort of semi-existential crisis on Monday, I decided I would take stock of what we had around here, and make a desperately needed grocery run. I'm SO grateful our markets are still open. I had seen many friends posting on social media about the many items that our local grocer was out of, so I was not exactly looking forward to this trip. Sunday night I had asked my hubs to run over to the nearby market to pick up a yellow onion. He came back with the LAST onion. Limited numbers of provisions aside, I have been a loyal Click List shopper - or whatever it is now that was formerly known as Click List - long before this pandemic and I go out of my way to stay out of grocery stores. To see me grocery shopping is like imagining me wandering around a foreign land. It takes me a ridiculous amount of time to try to find the things that I need, or I'll see something not on my list and get sidetracked into a debate with myself - Should I get this? Should I wait? Should I get this? Should I wait? It's annoying and inefficient. So I strongly prefer the time saving measures of ordering online and stopping by to pick up my goods. This, however, was not possible for a couple of reasons. One, I know myself well enough to know that if I struggle with change - and the changing of items on my order might just be more than I can handle at present. Two, there are literally no time slots available for pick up today. It's best if I do my own shopping and get things planned for the rest of the week.
I'm used to shopping on a week by week basis, so "stocking up" is a concept largely unknown to me. What does one "stock up" on? I saw several 'prepper' lists circulating and I couldn't figure them out. Why all the applesauce and canned pumpkin? I could somewhat figure out the canned pumpkin as we use that a lot for Tango. It regulates his digestive system - and I've heard it works the same for people too. But, see, the only thing I know how to make with canned pumpkin is pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I'm not eating that stuff plain. But, then I think, maybe I would if I was starving. Maybe I would also eat copious amounts of applesauce. Regardless, these two items didn't make my list.
The propensity to "stock up" has left many shelves empty, or near empty. The entire baking section had been completely ravaged - chocolate cakes? Gone. Muffin mixes? Gone. Semi-sweet chocolate chips? Gone. The meat section was pretty well picked over, as well. There was some ground beef left - which is exactly what I went for. I felt like I had hit the jackpot! The bread aisle? Decimated. The rice vinegar? Completely gone. And, the condom aisle was pretty depleted, as well. (And for that, I thank all of my fellow citizens!) The soap aisle was barren, except for the surplus of Dove. I love Dove soap, but the truth is I couldn't find any information that would lead me to believe it was antibacterial, so DIAL it was! At least I got a package that was the spring air scent. To see all of these empty and abandoned shelves was something I'd never experienced. Yet, another strange feeling.
While the shelves at the stores are emptier than usual, my pantry is now fuller than usual. I can't help but think that while we are stocking up on food and necessary items for staying healthy while confined to the house, we should also be stocking our spirits with patience, compassion, empathy, and genuine care for those who might not be as well positioned for a situation like this. Let's drop the judgements. Drop the assumptions we might have about others. Drop our partisanship towards one another. Let's just choose to believe that people are doing the best they can.
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