Grocery hopping on a weekend (continuation to when alcohol is as precious as gold)

    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. 

When alcohol becomes as precious as gold (a continuation to My mundane life is over)

    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. 

My mundane life is over. (a continuation to "Know what? My pandemic life wasn't bad after all")

    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.