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What do they do with it all?

  • Sep. 18th, 2003 at 10:56 AM
Running [CapHillClassic10K 2008]
In the Washington DC area, whenever any sort of inclement weather is predicted (snow, ice storm, severe storms coming off of a hurricane), this area goes mad. My favorite aspect of it all? The stockpiling of milk, bread, and toilet paper. I worked at a grocery store before and during college (and did management for two years afterwards) and it was always nothing short of ludicrous. Five loafs of bread! Three 24-packs of toilet paper! Six gallons of milk! *rubs eyes* How long do you really think you'll be stuck at home, people?

Laura at work came up with the theory that whenever bad weather approaches, there's a strange genetic need for these people to make tons and tons of french toast, followed by vigorous bouts of diarrhea from all that fiber in the french toast.

Anyone else have a better theory? Don't be shy!

Comments

( 12 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]redstarrobot wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:03 am (UTC)
Extra calcium to give bones strength to withstand hurricane winds!

Industrial quantities of toilet paper to wrap breakables, throw a drunken papier mache party, and still have enough left over to clean up the vomit!

Bread, er... in case you want variety in the texture of what you use to wipe your ass?

(Bread and milk are perishable. Why would you stock up on perishable items just before impending power outtages?)
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[info]paygem wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:11 am (UTC)
3 24 packs of toilet paper... for the chance that the storm doesn't hit and everyone else left - you can go and toilet paper ALL your neighbors's houses and trees?
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[info]legalmoose wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:12 am (UTC)
Rule #2 in full force. ;-)

They're thinking they'll be stuck for days on end. I love it when they get all this refrigerated stuff and then the power goes out. Dorks.
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[info]geminigirl wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:31 am (UTC)
Yep. One guy had six gallons of milk in his shopping cart...I was trying to figure that out, when they're predicting power outages here for several days.

Crackheads.

I was trying to explain the bread/milk/toilet paper phenomenon to my mother, who didn't get it. And who thought I was being silly when I went to get batteries etc. on Monday night...because it still meant I had to go to four stores to find D batteries.

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[info]mai_neh wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:50 am (UTC)
At the shopping center here in my neighborhood people were lined up outside the Radio Shack for batteries before it opened ... and then it never opened, LOL. I'm surprised they didn't break the windows and loot the place. We could see the batteries!!!

However, my flashlight and radio are well supplied. As is my palm pilot :-)
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[info]geminigirl wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:54 am (UTC)
Lowe's in my neighborhood had no D batteries on Wednesday night. There's a Home Depot about a mile away from the Lowe's, and I stopped there on Tuesday afternoon to pick up some stuff for an elderly neighbor, and they were reasonably well stocked.

And you know what else you couldn't buy yesterday...ice. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but ice melts. You put ice in your cooler now, it's not going to be there tomorrow when you need it...which is why I'll buy ice tomorrow.

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[info]mai_neh wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 09:57 am (UTC)
I have two cases of Clif bars and a couple pitchers of water, plus some diet soda. I figure I can ride out whatever happens without dying from starvation ;-)

Meanwhile, I think I'm gonna drink some red wine this afternoon ;-)
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[info]geminigirl wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 10:01 am (UTC)
I stocked up on powerbars too the other day. (Can't find the ones I really like in a case though, only single bars.) Did you buy bread, milk and toilet paper?

The Jungle is no longer on the balcony (although it was just about time to do that anyway.)

The cats are confused.
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[info]mai_neh wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 10:22 am (UTC)
I never buy bread or milk anyway. I did just realize I'm on my last roll of toilet paper. I can use ... other things ... ;-)
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[info]spenceraloysius wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:14 am (UTC)
Philly has french toast-philia as well. I don't understand it either, but apparently, eggs, milk and bread are the essentials because all people stuck at home during inclement weather eat french toast. I don't think it is a theory. I think it is real. They had specials on the news telling us to make french toast.


I'm out of eggs, but I'm not going to the store until the weekend but I'm sure that all the stores are already out of eggs.
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[info]mittelbar wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 08:27 am (UTC)
What they were out of at my store: bananas and oreos.
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[info]doronjosama wrote:
Sep. 18th, 2003 10:14 am (UTC)
Here in San Antonio, the same thing happens- bread, milk, eggs, and bottled water. (Though a lot of bottled water is consumed here anyway, since our water comes from an aquifer, and thus is rather hard. A typical weekend wipes out the bottled water shelves.) The other staples that sell out here when bad weather threatens? Tortillas and cheese. My guess is everyone holes up and makes quesadillas. ^_^ Oh, and beer and cigarettes. Apparently, you need lots of booze and smokes if you're going to be stuck at home. Viva Tejas! ^_~
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( 12 comments — Leave a comment )