It’s two-for-one today, since as soon as I got home from walking Keely I grabbed my roller cart and high-tailed it to Publix to forage for possible-quarantine supplies.
Yesterday was the first day I really noticed a significant reduction in traffic, which at 5 pm on a Friday afternoon is usually heavy and thick. Instead, there were small clusters of cars rolling by instead of a steady stream. A taste of things to come.
This morning we were out by 6:40 am and Keely decided on the 3rd Ave. route, over to Monroe and finishing with a loop around Lake Ella. By the time we got to the park, near 7:30, I noticed cars already piling up in the Publix parking lot, waiting for the 8 am opening.
But what I noticed long before then were empty shelves in the bars — and I noticed because most have their blinds up and lights on. In fact, the majority of closed businesses have their lights on, which is standard disaster (usually, pre- and post hurricane) protocol. It makes it easy for cops rolling by to see if anyone is inside, looting.
There are a lot of local businesses in Midtown, not just restaurants like Liberty and Izzy Pub and Siam Sushi and Maria Maria and Midtown Pies and Decent Pizza, but bars such as Fox and Stag and Waterworks and Ology and retail stores like Vocelles Bridal and Divas-and-Devils and all the cottages at Lake Ella. Don’t forget the barber shops and hair salons.
As I walked by I wondered how many could weather a month+ long closure. Many have already laid off most of their staff, and closed outright if not gone to reduced hours to do take-out only. If they weather it and reopen in May (if allowed) who will work there? Where are all these hourly workers going? Most already live in shared housing, almost all are renters.
Sobering thoughts for a simple morning walk, but as I got going on my expedition to Publix, I noticed Golden Corral was simply closed. Lights on but blinds drawn at 8:30 am on a Saturday, when usually they have people waiting for them to open by 7:30 am.
Meanwhile, Publix at that time was very busy. Like everyone else there, I was buying to lay in for a week or more of isolation, but unlike most I have limited space in my roller cart to take it home. The guy in front of me at the check out line spent $500 and bought three of everything plus about 20 pounds of ground beef, at least. Shelves were cleared out for meat (no kielbasa for me!) and rice and eggs and (yes) toilet paper and soup and most frozen vegetables.
But if you want crackers, or frozen ravioli, or ice cream, or bread, you have lots of options. Same if you want any fresh vegetables, the bins were full up on potatoes and onions and fruits and spinach.
Which I think reflects the weirdness around us — before a hurricane, everything shuts down and we expect power to go out for indefinite periods of time (hence the popularity of items that can be grilled or cooked in a pot of water on the grill). We’re on our own pretty thoroughly at least for a time. But that is not the case here, and in a pinch I’ll be able to go down to Circle K with a mask and gloves on to buy snacks.
This is a strange limbo of “business as usual” and “everything is closed, go home.”
I’m home now, anyway, for a while. It’s not business as usual.
But I have plenty of peanut butter just in case.