Everywhere was out. Out of stock of 'loo roll', as we call it, or what is commonly, and very eloquently known here as 'toilet tissue'. Thankfully, due to the training of my mother, and grandmother before her, (whom I am almost entirely sure was behind many of the shortages of sugar in the seventies,) when I open a new one, I replace it. Last Saturday saw a crowd (yes a crowd) of people, standing looking at an empty space, the size of my living room, waiting to hear when the next delivery could be expected. The panic had begun, and it was each man (or woman) for him (or her) self! Bottles of water were being stacked into shopping trolleys, and then there were the oranges. Actually, there were no oranges. Yes, we have bananas, but no toilet roll, water or oranges. The queues for the tills were incredibly long. I do not think I had seen the store this busy. The lines went back through half the length of the warehouse, with all but one or two checkouts open. It seemed that anyone not in line, was waiting to see when the next delivery of 'essentials' were coming in. Was I the only one taking advantage of the 'special offer' on salmon?
Little was I to know that my panic was coming soon.
I spent the majority of Sunday putting things back, and amazed myself by throwing away some 'bric-a-brac'. It took a long time to rehang all my collages, and photographs. Everything had a thin layer of dust on it, and I felt like an understudy for the film, 'Karate Kid'; wax on, wax off! It was a good afternoon's work!
The barbecue place was very busy. In fact they had run out of turkey, but unlike the toilet paper, there was more on its way. We decided to wait the twenty minutes it was going to take to smoke, and sat down in the restaurant. "Y'all are brave", said the man sitting on the next table. Had he heard about me wanting to repair and eighteen year old washer, or was he alluding to the fact we were eating barbecue with a toilet paper shortage. We looked at him with a half smile each, and a question make on our faces. "Y'all are brave. Wearing white at a barbecue joint". He pointed to our attire. We both wore white tops. He was eating a 'sloppy joe' sandwich, with no thought to the dollops of sauce that were meticulously covering his darker coloured t-shirt. I almost replied, "We are doing take out, and I have a pinny at home". Instead, I smiled, and Dana commented that his sandwich looked good. "Sure is!" he replied. All I could think was, "Thank goodness he is not my husband. I don't have a washing machine to clean that shirt!" Domestic goddess? No. That was my mother! She would have had a bib put in front of him, and the shirt cleaned, and ironed and back on his torso before he paid the bill! However, I digress. Our wait was entertaining, and because of the inconvenience (which in my opinion there was not) we were offered several more sides to take with us. I love the customer service at Pok E Joe!
I was in a quandary on Monday morning. No washing machine, and no one to look at it until Tuesday. We went for a walk at lunchtime. "Hey, where you been?" said the bus driver who was sitting on a bench, next to his vehicle. We stopped and chatted. He had missed us over the last couple of weeks. I told him that we had been for a weekend away, and our regular walking time had been somewhat disrupted over the last fortnight. He was pleased to see us and wished us a good day. I had to laugh. One of this gentleman's colleagues also talks to us when we see her on our constitutionals. I took the same route for four years when I was a teenager, often seeing the same driver. "Never on the 183, did the bus driver enquire as to my health, or give me so much as a knowing look", I said to my daughter. I was lucky to get a grunt! I live in a different world. The route of the 183 bus was never 'laid back'.
The news was not particularly encouraging. There was only one headline, on all the outlets. "Use a tissue and discard it. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve". What? My mother would be horrified. How many times did we, (and I am referring to all my contemporaries,) wipe our noses along our sleeves, and hear a shout from an adult, any adult, "Use a tissue!". If you didn't have one, then find one! Use a leaf, a piece of paper, the floor! Anything but your sleeve! Really, as I approach my 60th birthday, I am finally able to use my sleeve?
"It's the bearing", the washing machine man told me. Probably the same age as my machine, the young chap did not instill me with much confidence. I was even less impressed when he sent me an estimate for repair. A new machine was less. However, it was not like buying a new oven. I did not need so many specifications on a new washer, or did I? The words of the other mechanic rang in my ears. "Get it repaired if you can".
Storms hit on Wednesday morning. The rain was torrential, and the beautiful spring day that had been so delightful on Tuesday, turned into a winter whirlpool. It was cold and very, very wet. Dana had tried to convince me that it was time to get a new washing machine, but I was still uncertain. However, the cost of a second opinion would be a waste of money should the same conclusion be reached and unless I could find the old mechanics number, I felt I would be told the same thing by someone else.
Richard called us on Friday, just before our walk. Samantha had picked up Harry, the smaller of the two dachshunds, and was about to attach his lead when the call came in. The dog had got hold of something and was opening and closing his mouth as she was trying to retrieve the item. A knock on the door was followed by a head around the corner, and a man entering, with a clipboard. "Just checking on flood damage", he said. He looked at the dog on Samantha's lap and asked if he could step over the gate to the rest of the office. I told him to watch out for the other dog. "What kind is it?" he asked. "It's not a dog", Richard quipped, "It's a stretched out guinea pig!" The man turned to see who was talking, but all he could see was Harry still opening and closing his mouth. Knowing that this could not be the dog speaking, he laughed somewhat nervously, as there was not another male in sight. Once he met Sparks, mentioning that he must "smell my dog", completed his survey and made some notes, he came back across the gate that keeps the dogs from the front office. "What dog do you have?" I asked. "She's in my truck out there. A boxer". Harry, not having relinquished the item he had decided to chew upon, was still opening and closing his mouth. "Now that is a real dog", said Richard. The man looked at Harry, now thoroughly confused, and replied directly to the dog. "Yes. It is!" On his way he went!
The devastating (to us) news broke on Friday afternoon. South by Southwest was to be cancelled this year, due to the impending pandemic. As far as we were aware, there were no cases in Austin, but it was considered a sensible precaution. Certainly, with no toilet paper available, an extra few hundred thousand people invading our city could cause a problem! I apologise to those who find me flippant. I mean not to undermine the seriousness of disease.
Our Saturday was a regular Saturday. However, with the news that we will be having a regular Saturday next weekend, there was no need to shop for two weeks. The stores were rather empty. The roads were not particularly busy. We noticed the lack of people in Walmart and went on to Sams. It was remarkably quiet. We saw 'my friend' who was giving out cake and strawberries. We commented on how quiet the store was, and how people are not coming out. "Everyone panic. Why?" she said. I was not quite sure what she was talking about, as she talks fast, and her accent is still very strong, despite having moved here from Central America decades ago. "My friend, he from Wisconcin, nice couple, he go to hospital, open him up, and he was full of it. He died. See when your time is up", she said, and we guessed she was referring to the fact that no one knows what tomorrow brings. I had to smile.
Costco was more alive. There were no tidbits to eat, but the 'promoters'were outside cleaning trolleys. Toilet paper was rationed, as was water. I did not notice if there were any oranges, but the 'wet wipes' were definitely out of stock. I had just opened the box I bought a couple of months ago, and therefore it was time to buy a new one. "I guess you are out of disinfectant wipes", I asked. The guy nodded. "Two packs only!" he shouted to the customer who was hauling a third pack of toilet roll into his cart. I wanted to say, "I am not panic buying", but stopped myself, as to 'what avail'. "Any surgical gloves. We need those!" I asked. "And silver foil wrap". I was wondering how many people would go and raid the shelves without asking 'Why'? I got a few questioning looks, and a few glances over to the said aisles. Whole sections were empty. "It's like rationing during the war. Is there a war on?" I asked. I bought nothing in Costco.
"Put it back", said a mother to her young child, who was trying to retrieve something from his nostril, whilst waving a toy in his hand. "This one?" he said, picking up something else, having retrieved the gold and promptly losing it on the toy. "No, honey. Put it back". He looked at his finger, then at the toy, and having no joy in finding what he was looking for, started to dig again. "Use a tissue", I wanted to shout. He did not have sleeves! Perhaps we need to wear gloves every day! Common sense tells you to wash your hands when you come home from shopping!
Dana and I went out later to purchase a washing machine. My shortlist had three appliances, and I saw one. The other two were apparently no longer in stock and, like toilet rolls, their reappearance date was not known! Maybe never! I was thrown into a turmoil when I found a fourth machine which was identical in size to mine, and despite the more modern look, was identical in most all else. I was not sure. Agitator or no agitator. "What is the problem?" asked my husband, as I pondered. I tried to explain, but all I could do was answer with a question. "When did you last use the washing machine". When he bought it, eighteen years ago. "And what did you look for?" Good reviews, and one that got the washing done. "So, a decent machine with an 'on' switch!" I replied. Exactly! I reluctantly settled on one that could be delivered on Monday. They would remove my old machine and install the new one. I wanted to keep my old machine, in case there was ever a 'come back' date! Nothing lasts forever, not the washer, my friend's friend, and hopefully not the toilet paper shortage!
Heading out for dinner, we decided on a steak restaurant. Heck, we are in Texas! It was early, but very busy. After eating, the manager came over and asked how everything was. I responded that I was surprised there was so much noise, as the food was so good, I was amazed anyone was talking! He thanked me for the compliment and responded that they were exceptionally busy, especially for this time of night. "Maybe nothing is going on downtown", he said. "Austin has been cancelled!" I told him, and he nodded with a knowing look. However, nothing quite says 'Austin', like a beef eating Texan, and despite the fact that other more 'trendy' places had empty tables, the steakhouses were heaving. As the sign says, "Don't mess with Texas!"
I am confident that the panic will settle, despite the news giving out numbers of 'outbreaks' rising. If you are not going out then you cannot buy more to hoard, and who knows if anyone will want to make deliveries! All I know is that I shall have a washing machine tomorrow, so I can use my sleeves knowing that I can get them clean! What will the news be next week? That remains to be seen in ......... another story!
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