After my nap, my mom asked me to accompany her to the grocery store to again find some alcohol, canned goods and frozen food to help us "survive" the lockdown.
We arrived at 5:00pm and the Security Guard stopped us at the door and asked for our Quarantine Pass.
We said, we didn't have any and we have no idea where to get it and how come they are asking for a quarantine pass. It's just a grocery not an an airport.
While talking to the guard, I remember the men who were distributing papers in our street early that morning. Perhaps it's the quarantine pass that the guard is talking about.
We went home and I grabbed the papers and started to read.
And yup, I was right...those papers are our "quarantine pass"
No...not "our"
It is the quarantine pass.
Only one per family is allowed to go out.
Written on the paper is the allowed time and the allowed days per week, of the person who is allowed to go out.
Seniors and kids are prohibited.
No doubt. My mom was the first to react.
Grocery shopping is her "therapy"
She quickly add that she don't look a "senior citizen"
Which is actually true.
Written on the back it says, a representative is allowed to go out every tuesday and thursday only between 9 am to 3pm only.
So, I have to squeeze all the things I needed to do in a week outside our home in 6 hours for 2 days.
Wow...felt like I am in a race or a challenge.
I felt like a prisoner too.
I quickly filled up the pass with my information
and kept it in my bag.
I know my mom would try to get it from me.
Reminding myself not to lose it
Or else, I wouldn't be able to go inside any establishment.
Yes... That was how it was like.
Suddenly... A quarantine pass became more precious than gold.
Even with gold, without the quarantine pass, I can't buy anything.
Who would have thought that a day would come when gold would lose its value over a piece of photocopied paper.
Even the richest wouldn't be able to shop for gifts without this magical pass.
Please God...make each minute longer than 60 seconds.
At 4:10am I sat up...and bowed my head.
I always pray after waking up.
I am not religious...
In fact, I have done a lot of unacceptable actions
But, I do know how to be thankful to the One who made me.
I went to the bathroom...took my favorite shampoo and washed my hair
I always wash my hair first.
I hate getting my feet wet...But I always enjoy taking a bath.
Every morning, I need to be in a hurry so my bath always take less than 20minutes
I always tell myself, I will enjoy my bath in the evening
I toweled myself and went to my closet
I choose my clothes depending on my mood.
I love pink , so my wardrobe is full of pink hues.
While choosing what top to wear, I suddenly wonder
Where is my mom? Is she sick? Why is she not calling me for breakfast?
I wore a baby pink shirt and loose white pants.
It's my "In a hurry outfit"
I then went to the kitchen to see that the lights are still off....
Is my mom sick? Is my dad still asleep? Aren't they going to have breakfast?
I opened the lights and made some coffee.
I wanted to eat some bacon and eggs but It would take time to fry
So, I just settled for some buttered toast and my favorite cereal with lots of milk.
While I was thinking whether to wake up my mom and dad or just let them sleep
Our dogs barked loudly...
Feels good that someone's awake other than me.
Someone's at the gate. Two men
Should I open the door?
I took a peek....our neighbor was talking to one of them
I opened the blinds and the man turned around.
He saw me peeking.
I had no choice so I opened the door.
He introduced himself as someone from the local government.
He gave me forms that we should fill up
He said "Ma'am kindly fill this up for you and your parents....In the afternoon, we will collect them
these forms are for your quarantine pass"
I didn't know what to say...I was shocked to hear the word "quarantine"
While my thoughts are running, I took the forms and said thank you
I still can't get over the word "lockdown"
Now, I have to deal with "quarantine"
Then it hit me...my mom and dad are not sick.
They are still asleep at 6:00 am
Because there's no reason to get up early
All the offices are closed...including mine.
We are stuck at home....
We are on quarantine...
Damn....I shouldn't have washed my hair
Now, it's so wet I can't lie down and go back to sleep
I don't want to sleep with my hair still wet
and my pillows will get wet too
I cramped my brain with useless thoughts
I focused my worries on my damp hair
I can't go back to sleep.....
I turned on the TV and finished my breakfast
I settled myself
I calmed myself
I tried my best not to overthink
Because I am starting to panic
What am I going to do?
I am stuck at home
With no job...well I have
But I don't know how to work at home
I am programmed like a robot
That at that hour I am supposed to be on the bus already
On the way to my office
Checking my phone for important messages
But, that routine suddenly cracked whole
Instead, I was at the kitchen munching my toast
Thinking what to do...
I sipped my coffee...It's gone cold.
Even my coffee frustrates me.
My toast got too much butter
But it taste bland...should I add some jam?
I remembered we ran out of jams too.
We really should go to the grocery.
It's monday but it feels like a weekend.
I should be happy
But I wasn't. My thoughts are clouded with worry.
I checked the time.... It's past 8:00am and my mom and dad are still sleeping.
I better just change back to my pajamas.
I feel tired from thinking too much.
Or am I sick? Do I have covid?
I think the first symptom of this corona virus is paranoia.
I changed to my PJs and went back to sleep.
What's the point of staying up anway for the first day of my pandemic life.
I thought of the photo I took of the black dog I have been feeding at a mall near our house. She sometimes stares in space... Thinking perhaps of what's going to happen tomorrow.
I am doing the same... While staring at my bedroom's ceiling.
We arrived at our favorite Supermarket 15 minutes before their closing time. And, it took us less than 10 minutes to stay inside (including going to the restroom) and get back to our car. It's a record breaking for my mom because her normal grocery shopping takes an hour or more. It's her therapy. She loves looking at each item...reading it's package - such as it's nutritional information, ingredients, etc etc. (yes she spends time doing that ) than reading a magazine or newspaper.
My dad didn't have a hard time finding a parking space. The lot is almost empty. It's odd because it's a Sunday. In a normal Sunday night, the Supermarket is full of people till it's closing time. But, that particular Sunday was different. I almost believed I was dreaming and having a nightmare. My dad was shocked when we met him at the exit door just a few minutes after he parked the car. "Did they close early", he asked. My mom quickly answered him with " everything's sold out except for some candies and dishwashing liquids" even the meat section is empty.
My mom began to panic. She remembered aside from not having enough bottles of alcohol at home we also don't have any facial masks or surgical masks. We were not equipped. If we were in a battle, we didn't have any weapon with us except for a small knife. I then suggested that we should pass by one of the 24 hour convenience stores on the way home. Perhaps they have bottles of alcohol. Usually, they price their goods higher than grocery stores, so maybe people would have second thoughts to purchase more than one bottle from there.
So, we stopped at the gas station where there's a 24hr convenience store and I went inside only to see a sign at the cashier that says "no alcohol available". I went back straight to the car and my dad suggested we should check other convenience stores on the way home. I went to two more convenience stores only to get nothing...not even the smallest bottle of alcohol.
On the way home, nobody's talking. We were all lost in thoughts. We were supposed to have a relaxing dinner after going to church and buying what we need (and want) for a week at the Supermarket...But here we are, doing some "Grocery hopping" and searching for a bottle of alcohol on a Sunday night.
We saw a small pharmacy a few minutes away from our home. We parked in front. And, just as I was about to enter the door, a staff asked me "are you going to buy alcohol?" I said, yes, please. How many bottles do you have? She said, "already sold out. But we, can pre-order for you. It might arrive after 5 days." I said , oh thank you. I think I will just try another store."
I feel like we didn't accomplish anything. So, I politely asked my dad if we could pass by a mall 30minutes from our house, where there's a stray cat I am regularly feeding. They said, it's okay. They don't feel like going home yet either.
It's already 10:00 in the evening. And there she was...waiting for me. She knows I always have something for her.
At least, there is one soul who is not panicking and worrying....anxious of what is going to happen next and desperate to find a bottle of alcohol.
It was 6:00 in the evening when we arrived at our favorite grocery store. We saw the long line going to the entrance door and my dad dropped us near the end of the line, telling us to just call him when we are done with our shopping. The guard told him that the parking lot is already full so he had to go around to find a space where he could park our car.
The line was long but it was moving. In less than 5 minutes, we were able to get inside. I reminded my mom to go straight where the Ethyl alcohols, hand sanitizers and other anti bacterial stuffs are placed. My mom dislikes Isopropyl saying it dries the skin so we always buy Ethyl alcohol. But...we did not find any except for few bottles of mild and scented hand sanitizers for kids.
My mom told me to go find a staff and ask if they have any alcohol left in their stock room. She was guessing that in a few minutes, a staff would refill the shelves. I think that was also the moment of truth - we came to realize that whatever was happening and being talked about was not a joke.
Seeing empty shelves in a grocery store is not normal. Few items were left - Biscuits, chips, noodles, canned goods and even toilet papers were all gone. People tripled the amount of items they usually buy as soon as they heard from the news that there is going to be a lockdown the next day - that means we all must stay at home.
Halfway to the customer service, I overheard some people talking in panic voices...."all alcohol brands are sold out". I walked faster and asked the first person in the customer service counter when are they going to have stocks of alcohol. She said, she don't know....probably tomorrow or the next day. I began to panic. I did a quick inventory - we have a 150ml bottle at home, a small hand sanitizer on my bag and my mom has one or two small bottles kept in her travel bag. That's all we have and it is not enough.
Instead of going back to meet my mom, I went to the drugstore just beside the grocery store. But, I didn't have to go inside - on its door was a white paper with "No alcohol available." written on it. Just as I was about to go back to the grocery store and meet my mom, I heard my phone ringing - it was her. She told me to meet her in front at the exit door. She wants to go to a supermarket we also frequently visit. She said maybe they have still have stocks of alcohol. But, we should hurry before they close. My dad was already waiting at the exit door and immediately drove away as soon as we got inside the car.
I have never imagined in my entire life, that this day would come....when alcohol would become too hard to find...too necessary and that it would become as precious as gold.
After hearing the news that there's going to be a lockdown in the whole city and other parts of our country, my parents and I immediately rushed to the parking lot and jumped inside our car to go to the grocery store.
My dad who normally drives fast...drove faster this time. My mom, hurriedly turned on the radio and listened intently to the news...shusshing us everytime we create a sound. I on the other hand, took my phones (I got 3 phones for 3 different service providers ) and checked my messages.
Not making a noise was not easy...especially after getting several text messages and a call from my co-worker that our office would be closed indefinitely. We would have to work at home. I began to panic.
What? Seriously? How can that be? What about my scheduled meetings and other appointments? What about those documents I personally need to hand to the authorized person? And, other than my day job, I also work as a College Professor. I need to see my students. I need to teach in person.
How in the world can I do those two jobs of mine which both requires face to face meetings in the comfort of my home? The Wifi connection is unreliable too. We have very slow if not the slowest Wifi connection in the world. I felt like suddenly my hands are tied and I couldn't do anything about it.
Hearing that we would have to work at home shocked me more than the news that there is a deadly virus around me and that there is no vaccine yet to prevent it.
For many years, since I graduated college, everyday I wake up at 4:30am to have breakfast, feed my pets, take a bath and go to work. I work till 9:00pm and I normally arrive home between 10:30-11:00pm depends on traffic especially if it's a Friday
I have lived a hectic life. I embraced stress like a pillow. I succumbed to the thought that it would be impossible to live without stress.
I always thought 24 hours is not enough to do everything I needed to do in a day. I eat fast, I walk fast, I do my work quickly and efficiently and I talk to people fast enough to convey what I needed to say. I know my family and friends hated me for that, and I feel sorry but there are so much work to do. I love my furbabies (my pets) more than my life sometimes and I provide all their needs but I rarely get to play with them.
It was Sunday and officially the start of my pandemic life.
As my worries start to pile up, my dad told us we have arrived at the grocery store. Apparently, my mom too was busy on her phone. And, as we both looked up... We were shocked to see how long the line was towards the entrance door.
