Panic buying
here in Australia we have a handful of Coronavirus cases but panic buying has happened, particularly toilet paper. I read a news article about it and yes, when I went to do my fortnightly shop the shelves were bare. There was a guy taking a video of the empty shelves and another lady about my age and he and she and I started a conversation about it. He was a paramedic so we found his take on the virus interesting. It was actually lucky I stopped for that conversation because a trolley of loo paper was rolled in and a worker attempted to put it on the shelves. Due to proximity I was first in line but I did notice the worker was a bit grumpy. Hey weren’t we saving her the work of stacking shelves? Smile dear.
I just bought my usual 8 pack, no panic buying for me because I have been in this situation before after being flooded in by a cyclone for six weeks. I know you can always cut up old T-shirts etc to use, but bin them not flush them. I would give kids the tissues or paper towels though because sure as eggs, they would try to flush cloth. Making do is one of my hobbies and I enjoy it. Yes I’m weird and ok with that. Anyway it’s panic buying that causes shortages. Funny thing was when cyclones threatened in the Northern Territory it was tinned baked beans they couldn’t keep on the shelf. People were more worried about what went in the top end than what came out the bottom end. Less civilised I guess.
I was doing ok after my upset yesterday talking and joking around with those people and then again with the checkout lady and the other lady waiting to take over from her. They looked tired and I sympathised with that and it broke down barriers. Everyone likes to be treated as human not as a machine.
My phone keeps ringing and beeping with texts which I guess are from the health care workers but I’m not ready to talk to them yet. I don’t want to say something I regret, I will wait until it’s just a memory or incident not a drama. Everything passes and becomes less important except the ptsd triggers. Damn, still working on that.
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Those shopping panics are my people phobia's main *evidence* of why people can't be trusted. Reasonable, intelligent humans can turn into mobs of raging maniacs with the speed of a dropped hint. How weird is it that somehow the mention of "PTSD Triggers" at the closing of this thread has me wondering if my people phobia is the very phobia that has me triggering like a beaten crazy bitch wolf when I attempt to navigate the current PTSD forums? The terms, et al, sure have changed since PTSD became a household acronym. I still haven't gained clarity on that particular psycho tick, nor worked too hard on the analysis, but this one is resonating. Dunno. . . Phobias are irrational fears, after all. If I am meant to understand, the clarity will be there when I need ^it^.
Here in the U.S., retail managers measure the quality of a stocking job on the finished appearance. Gaps on the shelves will still get the boss a-nagging. That beleaguered clerk isn't *done* until those shelves are full. A client taking a package from her cart means she has to make another trip to the stock room. Smile, Dear.
Yay you for taking the time to commiserate with those brave souls who are manning the front line of the shopping panic for minimum wages. Good medicine for all, Code 3. A smile is worth far more than it costs.
A run on hand sanitizers would make more sense to me. My brother and SiL saw that happen when Hurricane Irma hit. With electric out for at least a week, the non perishables quickly cleared the shelves. I don't consider creative making do weird, just practical. A trait I share with you. Good for you for staying reasonable in the midst of the panic buyers. Hugs.
Arfie I agree with getting irritated with trendy and overused words but do you think using words like ‘triggers’ is just using a shorthand that everyone can understand? It could certainly get up your nose though because of the amount of people that pathologise their normal reactions and worries. Triggers is used when annoyed or upset or offended or even shitted off would do. Everyone loves a drama lol.
Simpson sanitizer is hard to get here too and the other thing is rice. They are rationing how much people can buy at one time. So many ways to get around that. Useless lol. At least you have previous experience of disasters too. The checkout lady was of the opinion we are just too spoilt nowadays and panic buying is just selfish. Interesting thought.