Just back from venturing Out for the first time in a week.
It's looking more and more like LOGAN'S RUN out there. Last week I reported that the traffic was down by probably about a third, to about 65 percent. This week I think those numbers are about reversed: traffic only about 1/3rd of normal.
Except at the stupormarket, of course. That felt very normal.
CONVERSATION BETWEEN BRAIN AND GUT,
JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE SUPERMARKET:
BRAIN: Calm down. Relax. Most of the people in there are probably not infected.
GUT: And THAT'S supposed to relax me? Do you HEAR yourself?
BRAIN: They're taking all kinds of measures to keep it safe.
GUT: Are you INSANE? I can FEEL myself getting infected just from LOOKING at the place!!!
BRAIN: Go on in. Look: See? They have hand sanitizer wipes so you can mop down the handles of your cart, and they have hand sanitizer in a dispenser.
GUT: GIMME THAT!!!!!!!!
BRAIN: See? It's all very normal in here. No one is dying in the aisles.
GUT: I'm STILL not touching the cart handle.....
Anyway. The supermarkets are doing a great job of keeping things in stock despite the panic-driven run on things. After last week, it was most re-assuring to see the meat counters full up again. I was able to get dishwasher detergent at last -- not a moment too soon! (Why would there be a run on dishwasher detergent? Go figure.)
You won't be able to get absolutely everything on your list, and you might not have your pick of brands, but the essentials are all there (so long as you don't buy more than your fair share) and produce and meat were available in abundance.
At the registers, they've put up plexiglass barriers between customer and cashier: a good idea. At the post office (which looked like a Ghost Town inside, if not in the lobby and parking lot), tape has been put down at six-foot intervals to show how far you need to stand back from each other.
I don't plan on going out now for another week. We shall cross that bridge when we come to it.
Hopefully I managed to transact my chores without swallowing a whole bunch of Covid-19 germs.
Life Goes On.
-- Thorn.
www.tarotbyducksoup.com
www.ducksoup.me