The early sign was the long queue of cars coming from Whole Foods North down Broad Street—next, the congested lot at the Amazon market. Inside, the express lines of prepared foods and customer service were snaking around, and tempers, at 4:40 PM, were resigned but positive. North Point Kroger is closed, except for the HT pharmacy, so the congestion does not stretch to North Point. A NOAA Category 4 escalation was enough to trigger memories of past Hurricanes in the 3’s and 4s that wreaked havoc on our Elms, Oaks, and power lines along Broad and throughout our tree-lined city. Monday was a good day to shop before the true madness, as a projected storm to hit our coast on Thursday or Friday.
What to buy or where to take cover? How anxiety-provoking yet unifying in purpose. “You pick up the emergency generator, batteries, and extra candles, and I will grab the necessary munchies/and essential groceries.” Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to knock on your neighbor’s door, introduce yourself, and become familiar with the area where older and more isolated citizens reside.
When the storm hits, after ensuring you and yours are safe, a good time to watch back-to-back West Wing episodes or a great BBC drama.
In the meantime, Patty Griffin has your Hurricane and Forgiveness song at the ready below.