A Day during the Pandemic.
On Saturday morning, as usual, Susan and Mack drove to the grocery store for their weekly comestibles. The usual list included: vegetables, kombacha, fruits, spinach, wine, pasta, pork shoulders, pork loins, a fresh hen, and steaks, if on sale. Bacon, smoked salmon, frozen veggies, a pizza, tortilla chips, hummus, eggs, and southern jalapeno pimento cheese. Assorted canned goods, coffee, crackers, baking potatoes, onions, and nuts. Bread and peanut butter.
“We should buy a little bit extra. Maybe more rice and pasta than usual, two hens instead of one.”
“Yes, makes sense. Who knows how all this supply chain mess may affect deliveries and inventories?”
They meandered through the vegetables and fruits and down the wine aisle. When they reached the end of the wine aisle where the meat department began, they stopped, paralyzed as they looked at each other, looking ahead, then back again.
What the hell?!
There was no meat. No chicken, seafood, pork, beef. Nothing. The entire refrigerated meat and deli departments were racks of empty shelves, the aging paint visibly peeling where usually packaged meats laid in orderly rows. Clifford, the meat manager in his long white coat smeared with streaks of blood, emerged from the swinging doors to the store room carrying two packs of ground beef.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“The delivery truck hasn’t arrived.”
“You expect it soon?”
“Don’t know. You could check back later today, but I really don’t have any information that I can share.”
Mack turned to Susan. “We better grab some canned meats just in case.” As they tossed some canned chicken and tuna into their cart, they could hear a commotion coming from the middle of the store. “Now what? Look, you stay here. I’m going to see what’s happening.”
Mack hurried past the meat counter, the noise and voices resolving into words as he reached the aisle beyond the meat section....
“Fuck you. I was here first.”
“You don’t need that much. Leave some for other people.”
“Look, I’ll take all I want. The store will restock it.”
“What if the store can’t restock? You’re being selfish.”
“Who put you in charge? You the inventory police?”
“No, I’m just asking you to be considerate. Be reasonable. Others need it too.”
“Like I said, fuck you. I was here first, I can pay for it, so I am taking all I want. If the store runs out, that’s their problem.”
As he turned the corner onto the aisle, Mack could finally see what the two were arguing about.
Toilet paper.
“Guys. Gentlemen.” He eased toward the two to intervene. “Hey, you are fighting over toilet paper.” Smiling to defuse what he considered a silly dispute, Mack proposed, “Surely, you can share a couple of rolls.”
“Who asked you, asshole?” He was short and heavy, but Mack could see the lump at his right kidney as he slid his hand under his shirt checking for his pistol. “Stay out of this.” With a sneering growl, his brow furrowed, eyelids hooded and focused on Mack. “Stay back and mind your own fucking business.”
“For God’s sake, you’re arguing about toilet paper. Is it really worth it?”
“I told you to fuck off. I got here first, and this is how much I want. You wanna try to stop me?” His hand closed over the pistol grip.
Mack backed away with his hands shoulder high and palms out. “Man, just chill.”
“Go to hell.” The ass holding the gun turned his cart and headed to the front of the store, sweeping boxes of tissues off the shelves onto the floor as he passed. Mack could barely hear him mutter “wimp”.
“Mack, what’s going on here?” Susan came up behind him.
“Nothing. Just a guy being an ass.”
“Did he have a gun?”
“Yep. Come on. Let’s finish and get out of here.”