French Toast Syndrome, Hurricane Irene, and a Sense of Community

It is a familiar phenomenon. Whenever the media predicts any kind of unusual weather event--blizzard, hurricane, tornado, flood--people stock up on bread, milk, and eggs. These, it seems, are the common denominator foods that are the hallmarks of disaster preparedness.  As if someone had said, "We may be trapped in our homes, but we're not giving up our French Toast, dammit." Hence the name, French Toast Syndrome.  Funny tho, there's never a run on syrup. You'd think there'd be fistfights over the last bottle of pure mapley goodness at the local local Bi-Lo, but no.

And we should probably define "event." For people where I live, along the Northeast Corridor, an event means rain, snow, and/or wind with possible flooding and/or power outages. It does NOT mean Katrina or anything of that magnitude. For this week, and this week only, I'll add earthquake to the list.

Now there are a few people who buy just the essentials: meds, bottled water, baby food (if they have babies), pet food (if they have pets), and maybe a handful of batteries. Because face it, most "disasters" that strike the Northeast Corridor only interrupt the tedium of daily life for a day or two.

But why is there an annual rush on snow shovels? What happened to last year's shovel? Did it get jilted for some new iShovel? Did it get thrown away in March under the mistaken belief that winter surely will never come again? Because if it's simply sitting neglected and forlorn at the back of the garage, it should, logically, be joined by this year's shovel, and then each year by a subsequently jilted shovel, until at last we are awash in snow shovels. But then you'd expect to see snow shovels featured prominently in summer sidewalk sales, busheled together upon the green lawns along with outgrown children's toys. But again: no. I figure they all go to some big landfill that resembles a gargantuan porcupine made whose quills have handles.

Anyway, what's this got to do with the current disaster, Hurricane Irene? Well, there's been the mass panic one would expect with any approaching hurricane, and the accompanying buying frenzy on items like bread, milk, eggs, bottled water, and batteries. But if there's a summer disaster equivalent to the snow shovel, it's the flashlight. Where did last year's flashlights go? We had a 4-day power outage in our area from June 24 to 29, 2010 due to a tornado. Surely all the flashlights purchased then have not given up the ghost. And I didn't see mountains of flashlights featured in our townships annual yard sale. Yet, with the mention of Irene, customers picked the hardware and department stores clean of flashlights quicker than a school of pirhanas could pick a tapir to the bone.

Perhaps the answer is that we derive something from such large-scale panic, even if the situation doesn't warrant such a dramatic response.  Perhaps it gives us a sense of community and common purpose in a life that seems increasingly void of such things. Like all those "where were you when the big rains came" stories that anchor us, both in time and in our communities--they let us recall with gratitude those times when we were helped, and with pride those times when we could be of help to others. Disaster preparation is one of the few times people think of themselves as part of a geographic community facing the same struggle. And maybe it's not about the shovel or the flashlight but about the reassurance that we can still take care of ourselves, our families, and our communities.

In the aftermath of Irene, whatever she brings, we'll all be out on our lawns, surveying the damage, offering consolation and help. And maybe that's worth a few thousand stacks of French Toast.

Let's all be safe out there.

Comments

[Chickenpig]

Interesting. We bought 3 gallons of milk, because we go through 3 gallons in like two days around here, but no bread or eggs :)Also, we have a kick ass farm right down the road that sells maple syrup, so we're good. (we can probably get eggs there too, and raw milk)

I take it you weren't around in these parts for hurricane Gloria? It wasn't a big hurricane as hurricanes go, but the wind damage was enough to knock out power everywhere, for over a week. No power means you can't take out cash, most people can't cook, and you've got no water. My family had to resort to pumping water from a spring two towns over and hauling it home by car every couple of days.

I don't understand the run on flashlights, though. It's pretty damn funny. It's August, people, it doesn't get dark until pretty late anyway, and what do you really need all the flashlights for?

The snow shovel phenomena is easily answered, though. Because there are men who drive over them every year by mistake, snap the handles off, and new ones have to be purchased. The same man argues with his wife "We have a snow shovel, I just bought one last year." Then she argues back "No we don't, sweetie, you ran over it during the last snow storm when it fell over into the driveway in the two inches of snow that you didn't think needed to be shoveled.". See? Some people also have to keep purchasing garbage cans for similar reasons. As for flashlights, they make such a good toy in a pinch, that it should be no surprise that every single flashlight you thought you had is in pieces at the bottom of several toy boxes. What? This shit doesn't happen to other people?

[doctormommy]

My go-to household disaster preparedness stables are always frozen pizza, chocolate, and beer. Is that wrong?

[Jo-Ann]

We were low on food over here. We got vegetables and things that don't need refrigeration, milk spoils people. Since my husband has a flash light and battery fetish we are covered. Bring it on. We need a night together as a family.

[Charlie]

A few notes:
Chickenpig - Yes, I was in Philly for Gloria in '85. I went to work on the subway and watched from my office window as the storm rolled trashcans down Broad Street. Other than that it was a non-event. It was windy, sure, but my West Philly apt never lost power, markets were open the next day, etc.

doctormommy - Not wrong at all. lol.

Jo - We got rice milk, canned fruit, cereal, pb&j. No fridge required.

[trainwatcher]

Always interesting to watch another episode of Mother Nature vs. Human Nature, the latter prodded a bit by media hype and remembered images of Katrina, I suppose.

I had plenty of disaster-appropriate food at home, so I stayed in and put off shopping till this past Wednesday. My local Giant was fully restocked with an abundance of bread and plenty of milk, but on shelves that normally hold at least a hundred cartons, only four dozen eggs. Wow -- people musta whomped up some extremely cholesterol-rich, borderline lethal French toast!

Glad Irene took pity on most of us lowly Pennsylvaniacs, but I feel for the folks up in the northern interior who never saw it coming.

[Theresa]

Hey, Charlie, did you skip your birthday this year? Happy Belated!

[Idaho Dee]

I've thought the same thing about the snow shovels. When I got to that part, I had to laugh. But, Chickenpig has a great explanation. I think we've had the same 4 flashlights in our house for the last 15 years too. I'm so boring, and apparently more disaster-prepared than you'd think.

[Charlie]

Theresa - Yeh, sorta. Just kept it to a family night. I'll save the weeping and gnashing of teeth for next year. Five-Oh.
Thx for remembering.

[belstaff chaquetas]

So cute! I already like you on FB and also get your posts on Google Reader. :)

[building blocks]

My family was one of those people out the day of a major snowstorm trying to purchase shovels and a snow blower. The only reason for this though was ours was stolen the previous night. My dad is usually on top of the game making sure the snow blower is gassed up and ready to go at a moments notice. I loved your explanation of the missing snow shovels though.

Our staples though for major events is batteries and candles. Like I mentioned above, my dad is pretty on top of his game for natural disaster (like any will actually happen in New Jersey)