This is not meant to be an end of the world post, or total doom and gloom. I’m just putting this out there. More of a tongue in cheek look at the panic and irrational reactions done by regular (or are they) people, and at times, those in charge.
If you step back and look, you can spot where the last dime is being milked before they are forced to comply with suggestions to curb social interactions, and slow the spread of the current Covid-9 virus. Take for example. Alabama decides to appear to be doing something useful to slow the spread. What? Closed the beach parking areas in the tourist areas of the popular Gulf coast area. You know, “If they can’t park, they won’t go to the beach”. However, so as not to lose too much money, let’s leave the beaches open to the public a while longer, just close the parking lots..
Worked great, for about 30 seconds.
Let there be drink!
“Fear not the evil sickness among us, for we must not let our citizens, be of thirst” Book of Alabama :Chapter 20 Verse 20 (Year of the COVID-19).
Keeping the Coffers full, requires selling Alcohol to the citizens. You make tax revenue from sales, plus you arrest them for drunk driving which generates revenue, then you turn around and provide treatment for the alcoholics, with the tax money. I never have wrapped my head around the economics of that plan.
8:25pm They passed an “Emergency Order”, how thoughtful.
Curbside alcohol sales: The ABC Board has passed an emergency order to allow for the curbside sales of alcoholic beverages at licensed locations in the state. Locations licensed to sell alcohol for on-premise and/or off-premise consumption will be able to sell at the curbside for pick-up or takeout. Shoppers are limited to one 750 ml bottle of spirits; one 750 ml bottle of wine; or a six pack of beer. All products must be sold in sealed, unopened containers.
One Hot dog Bun, too much to wish for?
Ever had your taste set for a flavor, to the point you’re nearly salivating on your shirt? Last night, I had a craving for a nice Polish Kielbasa sausage. The kind that is juicy, pops when you bite into it. Choice of condiments, and Sauerkraut sprinkled on it. In a nice warm bun. I went to three stores within a mile of our house knowing there would be few people shopping here in the rural area. No bread. Nothing left but dinner rolls, and sourdough bread, but that just sounded nasty with a beautifully grilled Kielbasa. I nearly cried. I stood there, gazing at the bare shelves, except for the dinner rolls by themselves on a table to the left of me. It seemed hopeless, how can the world survive with no buns for Kielbasa. Then while in the third store the phone call came, I actually felt lightheaded. Michelle had found 2 fresh hotdog buns in the bread box!
Time to play it cool
I was probably the only idiot with a spring in my step and a can of sauerkraut in my hand, smiling like I’d won the lottery while the young clerk rang up my purchase. Then it was time to play it cool, checking out with a can of sauerkraut and a smile on your face in these parts, means you have hotdogs, or something better! I imagined the clerk quickly dialing the phone at her register, whispering to her redneck boyfriend, that an old guy just bought a can of kraut, so he must have hotdog buns! Maybe even toilet paper!
I made it the half mile back to the Trailerhood without incident, then turned the large dogs out, just in case I was followed.
Any of you having adventures finding bread or TP?
Hmmmm. with the Alabama beach exercise, what am I not understanding? Is parking free, but there are charges on the beach? I would have expected the reverse. 🙂
Sorry, Colin. It is a bit confusing. The parking is free, paved lots maintained by the city. The beaches are for the most part free, you have some designated public, and some that the hotels or condos own. It made no sense, and just an empty gesture, to close the parking lots, and leave the beaches available. Everyone just parks roadside and walks a little further now. You’re right that the real action should have been to close the beaches. They never make a lot of sense in our country. Thanks for the comment.
I feel the pain, Ron. But at least our supermarket was full of bread products this morning. We already had a stock of toilet rolls before this panic started, but they are the last thing to worry about, as we can always wash ourselves. I imagine some people must have stockpiles of stuff piled up arpound the bed, and in the bathroom too. And there are others trying to sell things on Ebay and Amazon at ten times the retail price. Shame on them all.
Best wishes, Pete.
People that hoard and sell, should be run out of town. Sadly, in today;s society they claim it as their “right” to make a profit. I call it immoral extortion.
Stockpiling, we all laugh at the so called preppers and survivalist, but they are sitting back right about now, confident in not running short for the next few months. Some over do it, but I wouldn’t mind having a surplus of about 3 months of dry goods about now. I used to, but like everyone I got lazy and never figured it would happen anytime soon. I’ll be glad when our store replenishes the bread supply. Thanks for the comment, stay safe.
Best Wishes
Yesterday at a walmart, they were completely out of everything, said my husband. There wasn’t even one bag of potatoes left. Staff told him the truck comes in, they stock the shelves, and BAM, they get emptied out – every day! Times are getting very very bad.
The problem with modern stores, is they rely on weekly or even every other day shipments by truck. Gone are the days of keeping stock in large stock rooms in the back, they want to use that space when building now, for floor product. So even a slight disruption, or run on things, puts them out of “in stock” items. In the 60s and 70’s when I was a young stocker in a store, we had pallets of canned goods in the back, we could miss a weekly truck, maybe enven two. Thanks for the comment Lara.
Just read this piece again, to revel in its cuteness. This time I noticed a typo. Second paragraph, you wrote Covid-10. Maybe we had that going on, about 9 years ago…? Lol!
Bless your heart, Ellie. You’re too kind. I’m pretty sure I butchered the punctuation/grammar pretty good. Thanks for pointing out the Covid-10. I missed it by nearly a decade in that typo. I always enjoy seeing you.
Stay safe.
My Alabama native husband was not surprised about the beaches. I guess that lack of thinking is typical. “At least we aren’t Mississippi,” seems to be the motto.
You’re absolutely right, Elizabeth. Kids these days think of only one thing, PARTY! It’s like a sick hobby. Bonfires, tailgating, football games, anything to break out the spirits and get falling down drunk. I wonder at times, if there is any hope left for them.
In Oregon, where we used to live, the governor has so far been very lax, only asking people to “be considerate.” It isn’t working. The parks and beaches are crowded and small coastal towns are having to evict non-resident visitors who are bringing their germs to largely retirement towns.