The Fragility of Supply...

   It was when I saw a news article stating that industry people were saying "There's no need to panic-buy toilet paper - there's a good supply of it..." that I thought "Uh-oh..." and a few days later I went around to three stores in my area, two of which have a large area where they stock a small mountain of a dizzying variety of toilet paper.  Before walking into the first big store where there had always been that mountain of toilet paper, I thought "It'll probably be half gone..." so it was a bit of a shock to walk in and see the shelves were completely bare.  And not just toilet paper - there were no tissue paper packs or paper towels either.

   So, I went to two other stores to have a look... and it was the same story.  Completely empty shelves.  One of the large stores had a sign at the empty shelves where the toilet paper used to be saying "Two packs per customer".  Okay... I guess that didn't help too much.  For that kind of thing, I suppose a family of four would have each family member go to a cash register on their own?  In any case, what I have is what I have and any new stock is unavailable to buy.  I have some, so I'm okay for now, but I wonder when it'll be available again.  What I'll probably run out of first are tissue packs... I have pollen allergies and fairly active sinuses....
   Anyway, after I had checked out the situation with paper products, I went grocery shopping, which was uneventful except for noticing that rice was nearly sold out.  I bought one of the last remaining bags.  I walked around the store observing the other shoppers in their face masks.... and then noticed a woman not wearing one.  Seconds after spotting her, she let loose with a very congested-sounding cough... into her fist (to best spread the germs around).  I speed walked in another direction (but still ran into her again a few minutes later).  I thought "Well, that's great.  Probably the only person in the store who really should be wearing a mask is the one who isn't...."
   Anyway, the whole thing reminds me of the fragility of supplies.  Never in my life have I experienced going into a store and there being no toilet paper for sale.  It was always there... and then, with people considering the possibility of having to stay holed up at home for some period of time, hording starts, and "Poof!" supply vanishes.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
youtube.com/lylehsaxon
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