Folks are gearing up for a snowstorm tomorrow, an early March, last-gasp-of-winter storm that is apparently a puzzle for forecasters. The severity of the storm changes by the minute, from mild to miserable and back again.
I didn’t stop in a grocery store tonight, but I’m sure they’re all full of people busy apocalypse-shopping, buying all the water, milk, bread, and meat they can carry. I am a lousy storm-prep shopper, so I just came straight home. Besides, I did my regular grocery shopping on Sunday, and — even though I shopped before I knew a storm was coming — my larder is pretty full.
Why do we panic-shop before storms? I would understand this impulse if I lived in a rural community or some little way off the grid. A serious storm could leave me isolated for an indefinite period of time. But I live in Brooklyn. I cannot at all imagine a storm severe enough to cut me off from all services and supports for more than a day or two.
I still have no idea what to expect tomorrow. We had a gloriously bright, sunny day today. Cloudless skies. Cold, but without the smell of snow in the air. Despite the inconvenience a major storm would be — making me walk with fear as I try to get around with falling and damaging my newly-repaired shoulder — I will admit to wishing for the worst, the full 12 inches the meteorologists warned us about in their most dire forecasts. We’ve had a pretty mild winter, and I miss the drama of a real storm.
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I love your style in writing. The reflections on society are well, awesome. The image you paint with your words describing Apocalypse shopping hit the nail on the head.
I too regret lacking a normal winter. Bring on the storms!
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Thanks, Jeremy. I grew up in northern New York, and lots of snow was the norm, usually starting before Thanksgiving. I haven’t lived in such a snowy place in many years, and I don’t know that I’d want that level of storminess back in my life, but a few good ones every winter would make me happy. 🙂
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Did you get a real storm ?
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We did! Not as many inches in my part of the region as everyone feared, but it was a pretty storm. Some folks not far from here were really hit hard, including loss of power. So I may wish for a big storm, but I should also remember that they carry some heavy consequences.
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If your fridge is full AND you get 12 inches of snow, I hope you also have a shelf full of books to read tomorrow as you look out the window and stay safely inside!
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Good point! Every good storm stock-up should include books! 🙂
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Great question. I figure I’m about the same. I avoid the stores actually when store are coming! I do love the imagery you’ve got going here – that last gasp of winter storm; the whole first paragraph is just perfect.
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Thank you!
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All I wind up buying is junk food when a storm is predicted. So I feel you on being a lousy storm-prep shopper.
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My brain just doesn’t think in storm prep. It never occurs to me that I’ll be stuck for any serious length of time without access to resources. I have this luxury specifically because of where I live. I’ll have to learn to think differently if I ever realize my dream of living in a smaller, much less grid-connected place.
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I semi-jokingly call the emergency milk, eggs, bread grocery purchases the French Toast run. Those are the things that fly off the shelf fastest. Like you, for those of us in a metropolis, I don’t get it.
PS: Bless you for the use of “Larder”. I said it a couple of weeks ago to blank stares and the mental sounds of crickets.
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I call it that, too! How funny.
And of course you and I would both use the word “larder” without a second thought! 😀
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