Stocking up at Whole Foods
Last night I went to Whole Foods to get groceries. I took my time wandering the aisles because I had time to kill before meeting a friend of mine at Mi Cocina for a late dinner. I guess I was in my own world because I somehow didn’t notice that there were a million people at Whole Foods until I went to get in line.
When I first arrived at the check-out area, each of the three lines were four people deep. Not super long, but long enough that we had to turn our carts sideways to avoid blocking the aisles. It was then that I started noticing everyone in line – except me – had huge boxes of bottled water in their carts.
A woman got in line behind me. We both got bored waiting. We both went for the magazine rack and both reached for Dwell. So that opened a conversation. I noticed she didn’t have the massive box of water and asked her if we were missing something. She said everyone was stocking up for the hurricane and that, in fact, Whole Foods was sold out of peanut butter.
More people got in line. Almost all of them had boxes of water. One guy had like thirty individual bottles of Ozarka and six bottles of cranberry juice. I finally reached the conveyor belt. As I unloaded my cart, I held up my single bottle of water to my new friend behind me. “This is what I got for water.” We laughed.
I looked behind me. There were now twenty-four people in my line alone. Carts snaked backwards through the store waiting to buy groceries – and boxes of water.
I reached the check-out guy.
“Um, do you have any more of those boxes of water? I think I need one.”
“No,” he said, “you really don’t.”
“Yeah, but everyone else is getting them, so now I feel like I have to have one, too.”
The grocery bagger went and got me a box of water.
As I heaved six gallons of water + one single bottle of water, lettuce, and gluten-free breakfast bars into my trunk, I felt better.
Does anyone else feel like the world is coming to an end?
When I first arrived at the check-out area, each of the three lines were four people deep. Not super long, but long enough that we had to turn our carts sideways to avoid blocking the aisles. It was then that I started noticing everyone in line – except me – had huge boxes of bottled water in their carts.
A woman got in line behind me. We both got bored waiting. We both went for the magazine rack and both reached for Dwell. So that opened a conversation. I noticed she didn’t have the massive box of water and asked her if we were missing something. She said everyone was stocking up for the hurricane and that, in fact, Whole Foods was sold out of peanut butter.
More people got in line. Almost all of them had boxes of water. One guy had like thirty individual bottles of Ozarka and six bottles of cranberry juice. I finally reached the conveyor belt. As I unloaded my cart, I held up my single bottle of water to my new friend behind me. “This is what I got for water.” We laughed.
I looked behind me. There were now twenty-four people in my line alone. Carts snaked backwards through the store waiting to buy groceries – and boxes of water.
I reached the check-out guy.
“Um, do you have any more of those boxes of water? I think I need one.”
“No,” he said, “you really don’t.”
“Yeah, but everyone else is getting them, so now I feel like I have to have one, too.”
The grocery bagger went and got me a box of water.
As I heaved six gallons of water + one single bottle of water, lettuce, and gluten-free breakfast bars into my trunk, I felt better.
Does anyone else feel like the world is coming to an end?
posted by pamela at 10:50 AM
11 Comments:
Okay. I have to say that this is something that really irritates me. People LOVE drama. As much as I feel for the victims of Katrina, I fear that the event will only spark more irrational fears and more irrational behaviors. It reminds me of Y2K. Drama. The world is not ending. But it gives us something to talk about! Sorry for the cynicism.
Yes, and you are the fourth person to say that this week. There were lines at every gas station I passed last night at 11 pm. Three or four places were totally sold out, or had turned of their pumps in hopes of jacking up prices this weekend.
I bought a box of water, too! I also bought cilantro, pumpkin butter, sponges, cute tiny japanese sushi stickers, gum, and a copy of WIRED magazine. I feel pretty prepared for whatever might happen today/tomorrow. In Los Angeles. Define rquwtv: the sound your rubber shoes make on a tile floor.
oh, that was me with the cilantro. i was blinded by the new word.
Um... what? Confused...
Stop being anonymous, all you anonymouses.
wv: ytygpzf
That's a really funny ( or really sad, perspectives really)shopping list. That being said.. Shame on you for succumbing to the peer pressure of public panic. Next thing you know you will be so scared by their yearly "worst flu ever" announcment and even get yourself a shot. You should've stood your ground woman, and walked out proudly holding your one single bottle of water. tsk tsk tsk..
Ohh, yeah, you have been tagged for a meme by the fabolousness of moi. Let's hope it's not one you've done before!
I know. I was ashamed of myself, the check-out guy was ashamed of me, probably the woman behind me was, too. But I won't be thirsty for some time! Look at it that way! :)
I'll go check your blog for this meme of which you speak...
aerkfzmt = the sound of air rushing out of a balloon
Here is the link: http://egyptiansandmonkey.blogspot.com/2005/09/mememeeeeeeee.html
gycunlj:a sweedish medical treatment!
Overreaction.
Understand that Dallas is being flooded not by water but by people from New Orleans via Houston, Houstonians themselves and all of the TX gulf cities combined with most of the East Texas/Lake Charles folks. I guess no one's ever heard of Atlanta...
Those getting all the water were probably camped out in hotel rooms, campgrounds and evacution shelters.
So we had two really tall hurricanes in a single season? If we get four more, I'll take notice. Until then, the sky if falling if you ask me.
Having said that, I do personally believe that this is proof positive of climate change. What is causing that climate change is the controversial topic.
Zudlf was Gandalf's exceptionally gay uncle with a predilection towards bright colors and hysteria surrounding the greenhouse effect.
oh, i'm not trying to be anonymous. the evil spirits within the computer are calling me anonymous, despite my best efforts to tell you that it's me. :) beck
please--we don't need any more "over-reactors" in Atlanta. our governor decided to close our schools on Monday and Tuesday to save fuel. that'll do it--two days and we solved the fuel crisis.
-kym
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