March 2020

My friend Rick wrote this blog at the time of the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic when the country was dealing with social distancing to stop the spread of the virus, the use of medical masks and rubber gloves, and a lack of toilet paper.

I recently moved and for the first time there was a Whole Foods store close to me. I've never shopped there before. I read yesterday that they were one of the stores offering a special schedule just for seniors; in their case it was the first hour before they normally open here at 8. I had doubts, but there were a few things I couldn't get for my evening food prep at other stores recently, so I gave it a try.

Sure enough, they were open right at 7. I could see my fellow and lady gray heads already inside. The manager was outside the single entry door. As I approached I asked if I needed an ID to get in. Affirmative. If it wasn't such a weird time of fear, I'd have given him a hug, or maybe a fiver. God, getting carded when I'm almost seventy...wow! I gave him many thanks on my way out of the store...and so did a host of other shoppers my age.

Everyone in the store was friendly. The seniors didn't growl and snap at each other or elbow each other out of the way. Shelves were still empty in numerous areas, but they had one of the common items that has somehow disappeared...raw eggs. It was a nice experience and the stockers were busy as banshees, but still courteous. Oh, and I didn't hear the shoppers screaming and swearing down the aisles about shortages...not a one.

What was funny were the young folks out in the parking lot, hopping mad by some of the phone conversations I overheard, about the 'old bastards' that got in when they couldn't. Yup...the very phrase I heard. And the dirty looks...plentiful. I loved every minute of it and could only imagine how they would soon, at 8:00, be knifing people in the aisles over a roll of toilet paper.