#SOL20: March 15th
hand sanitizer (still none on the shelves)
There I was, shopping at Target, hoping that no one thought I was panic buying. Sure, I was buying what I normally buy. My list was relatively normal.
milk
yogurt
bread
Mac and Cheese
frozen vegetables
etc.
As I was putting items in the cart, perhaps buying 2 items instead of just 1, in my mind I was preparing for filling a pantry that my house does not have. I don't really have anywhere to put extra food, so I felt a bit panic shopping-y. But, outwardly I was not screaming or exhibiting mass hysteria, and I was still just pushing the cart on my weekly trip to the store.
Fast forward 2 days, and I went to Target again. This time, I guess I didn't really need to go. I just felt compelled to go, and my kids had their last dance class before those were closed, too. Schools had just closed the day before, and I was curious how my Target was holding up. Friends had been reporting that there were lines around the store at Cosco and Sam's Club, with no toilet paper and paper towels in sight. I was curious how my Target was, so I went in. It was like I was checking in on a close friend.
It was a weird social experiment. I grabbed a cart and picked up a few things here and there, but I was mainly looking to see what wasn't there. What did I forget to buy that others seemed to know was needed? There weren't many surprises. The canned goods aisle was pretty empty, but it was the pasta aisle that had me in shock. 2 days before, this aisle seemed untouched. Now, it was EMPTY. All the sauces, except for a random Alfredo sauce, were gone. I almost felt bad for the few left behind. In the distance, I did see some red boxes on the top shelf. I kept walking down the aisle and made a not entirely shocking discovery about society. Lasagna noodles. Based on the only pasta left, it could be inferred that there will no lasagna making during this time of COVID-19 crisis.
I'll take my community's Lasagna Ban as a sign that social gatherings are being restricted. Lasagna, after all, is a party food. But, if we all wait it out in our homes with social distancing in place, I'm sure there will be times of lasagna again. It's all the hope I can muster in this crazy, odd time of global pandemic.
I like your tone. Serious but light hearted. Humor is sorely needed right now! Thanks.
ReplyDelete"I almost felt bad for the few left behind." -This made me giggle. Thank you for that. Lasagna will wait until after the crisis. In the meantime, best wishes for what follows.
ReplyDeleteThis IS a crazy time, isn't it? I haven't ventured into the grocery stores yet, and am not looking forward to when I do. The picture of those empty shelves is haunting. I hope by the time I go, things will look more normal. (One can always hope!) :-) ~JudyK
ReplyDeleteLeah- I'm going to try to make lasagne just cause...of course it's filled with things I try to avoid now- gluten, dairy, preservatives...but you know in extraordinary times cheese may make a comeback in my diet:) I felt the loneliness of that poor Alfredo sauce- like a puppy at the shelter- why not me? It was a little heart breaking
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you're hanging onto humor in a time of panicky-ness. As for the pasta situation, I might stock up on lasagna sheets that I'll smash up into smaller bits (therapeutically, of course) for an alternate application :)
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