Dear Panic Buyers in Alabama: What's Wrong with Y'all?

"Better stock up on toilet paper, paper towels and water! The strike in the Port of Mobile is going to cause a shortage!" That was a familiar post on Facebook a couple of days ago. I saw it everywhere. Did people heed the warning? You betcha they did! The shelves for those items at local stores were empty by nightfall. Granted some of those supplies may have been purchased for hurricane victims, I think the majority was out of sheer panic over the port strike.

Photo byBing image created by April Killian

But here's the kicker: toilet paper, paper towels, and bottled water doesn't get here on a container ship. It's not shipped from a foreign country. 99% of our toilet paper and paper towels and bottled water are made in the good ol' USA. So, they don't come through a port like Mobile. The port workers can strike all they want - the butt wipes are safe.

Let's talk about "panic buying." Seriously, y'all? Someone starts a rumor that there's going to be a shortage of something and everyone panics. Then the panic buying that follows creates a shortage ten times worse that it would have been anyway! This is madness!

And somehow, I ended up at the store TWICE during the midst of panic. Talk about herd mentality! More like STAMPEDE! I don't understand it. I saw two little old ladies at the Dollar General fighting over a package of toilet paper like two seagulls fighting over a french fry! And somebody better come get their granny cause a Karen called 911.

My daughter and I were at Aldi on day one of panic buying. We needed to buy toilet paper. Not because of the panic, but simply because we were out. Thanks to the lady ahead of us who snatched up the last 5 jumbo packs for herself, my daughter and I had to settle for a large package of napkins. But hey, ya do whatcha gotta do. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all. A country girl can survive.

So, while everyone is waiting for the next panic to go around, I'll be just fine. If the apocalypse hits, I can fish, forage, or hunt, and I've got plenty of napkins and tap water. If the tap goes dry, I know where to find some of the best spring water in north Alabama. Y'all can panic all you want - I'm staying home with my dogs.

Click "follow" to catch more of my articles! I'm a native and resident of the Shoals area of north Alabama - sharing stories about the unique people, places, and history across the South! Have a story you'd like to share or a topic you'd like to see me write about? Email me: april.newsbreak@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!