A Grain of Salt

Last week, while I was on one of my grocery store runs, I stumbled into a mob scene. After a year and half, I have gotten fairly used to the controlled chaos that is every day life here. Simple tasks like shopping can easily turn into all day excursions if you're looking for a particular item. However, I was not prepared for apparant mass hysteria, which was brought on by rumors of radiation. Terrifying emails spouting all should stay indoors, and if it rains to immediately wash affected areas, began appearing last Monday. By Wednesday, a sense of panic enveloped the area. I was, unfortunately, oblivious to this until I entered Auchen on Thursday. All one hundred and ten checkout registers were open and packed with dozens of people. Carts were sparse, and the one I did find wobbled, but I wasn't going to be picky as there was a horde of folks behind me waiting. Trying to negogiate the aisles was next to impossible. There were sale signs hanging everywhere so I figured people were stocking up on the sale items. As I neared the condiments section, though, I knew something was off kilter. I couldn't even get down two of the aisles. People were camped out, while others tried to shove their way into the already packed crowd. Now I've been nudged, bumped, caught in the ankle with another's cart, even cut off, but I've never been shoved with force. Not until last Thursday. At that moment, for the first time since arriving in China, I was kind of scared. If I hadn't had a full cart, I would have run to the van. Instead, I shoved my way through the maelstrom, paid for my wares and got the heck out of there.

It wasn't until Larry got home that night and he told me the rumors spreading through the major cities about radiation and locals being told to stock up on iodine and all Japanese products that the proverbial lightbulb went on.

Hoping for less of a crowd, I went to Wal-Mart today. In comparison, it was like a ghost town. Going up and down the aisles, I soon realized why. There was nothing left. People had stripped the shelves bare. No, not all the shelves were depleted. There was still plenty of food, but if we needed any salt, soy sauce or any iodine-related products, we'd be SOL. The imported section took a huge hit as well.

I found myself smirking (I do that quite often here) as I passed the 'seafood' section. No shortage there, plenty of slimy critters from which to choose.