Corona. While it is only one word, it is a powerful one. Corona has turned the world we know into an unfamiliar battleground. Some people are stepping up to help while others are too lost in their own panic to comprehend we are experiencing this virus as a community. Hoarding of household items has spiraled grocery store runs into scavenger hunts.
Below is how I felt attempting to perform a simple task, grocery shopping. I understand seriousness of this situation. Humor is my way of dealing with stressful situations.
I stared at the bare shelves in the pantry looking for something, anything to cook for dinner. I frantically opened the fridge only to find that all of the produce had gone bad. The produce had lost its will to survive. Google had come up empty in my search for a recipe consisting of a graham cracker crust pie shell, a can of green beans, and kraft cheese singles.
The kids had not eaten in 10 minutes and were wasting away. The feeling of panic and dread consumed me. My husband and I locked eyes from across the room. An unspoken conversation transpired in that moment. One of us had to (gulp) go to the store. The situation was dire. A decision needed to be made. Who would volunteer as a tribute? I made a subtle nod in his direction while mouthing, “I’ll go.” I threw up my three finger salute and walked out the door.
I turned off my street onto an empty road. A road once filled with the sounds of traffic and illuminated by traffic lights and turn signals . Today, it was nothing but an empty shell of black concrete lined with closed businesses. It was deafeningly quiet and I feared a tumbleweed may cross my path at any moment.
I pulled into a parking lot that resembled a scene from the walking dead. People with masks and lifeless stares shuffled through clouds of Lysol in the parking lot. The unattended grocery cart rolling into cars did even snap anyone out of their trances…..
I recorded a video as proof I survived and to warn others of what to expect.
