Essentials

My faith in humanity has been restored. I had no expectations for that as I scheduled my day around going to the grocery store, starting with the call that came in from a family friend around eight o’clock:

“I stood six feet back from the person in front of me, and these guys behind me kept telling me to scoot up.”

Now this guy, who was standing in line six-feet back from the person in front of him in order to get a few essentials for his family that not more than six weeks ago grew by one, is exactly the wrong guy to piss off. He is, however, the one I would send into the fray to get the essentials.

“I was reaching up to grab a roll of paper towels and this guy comes running down the aisle. He grabs the roll from my hand and keeps running.”

I am surprised there was not a fight with corresponding news footage. No, instead, he called my hubby on his way home and left me with a sense of overwhelming dread for having to go out there myself.

Armed with only a small list from my mom and a cooler to get our odds and ends home from the city, Cam and I headed out just before noon.

Safeway: The parking lot was strangely quiet, just how I like it.

“We need Aspirin here; that’s it.” I told her.

I checked off a few more things from my list, and a few snacks that weren’t, while we were there. Everyone was so nice, and moving around just required a little patience.

Natural Grocers: The parking lot was fuller than normal, but in under ten minutes, we filled a basket, not a cart, and were checking out.

“I’m so glad you guys are here,” I told the woman boxing my groceries from behind the plexiglass screen.

“Me too,” she said.

And just like that, we were back in the car, headed to the city, a trunk (sort of) full of (mostly) essentials, though I did forget (slap-me-upside the head) meat.

Thirty minutes later and we delivered curbside my mom’s small list of groceries, with a smile. She handed back, over the fence before stepping back (like the slide in a prison movie) an apple crisp and a generous portion of her cinnamon breakfast bread.

I can’t remember a time I have ever left mom’s without giving her a hug good-bye (or using her bathroom for that matter). Today makes twice since this all started.

But I think what strikes me most is that it is possible to get what is essential. At least today it was: groceries to get us by; apple crisp and a slab of bread; a smile, an “I love you,” and the wish of a hug good-bye.

Yes, at least for today, we have the essentials.