January 25, 2013
Dear Everyone:
Last Wednesday a couple dozen (12-oz) cans of
tomato juice appeared on
the table in the “kitchen area” at work. No idea where they came from.
Someone checked the date on the bottom.
No, they hadn’t “expired”.
They were good until next July.
So why was someone (literally) giving them away?
My personal opinion: Someone
saw a “great deal” and grabbed a bunch of six-packs, not realizing what
the words “Low Sodium” on the label meant.
“Low Sodium” is code for “no flavor”.
Once they realized the mistake, they “gave” the cans away rather
than just throw them in the garbage.
After all, someone might like them.
Another person speculated:
“Someone is clearing out their earthquake supplies?”
Only in California:
“Earthquake supplies”.
In other parts of the world, they might be called “hurricane supplies”.
Or “disaster supplies”.
Or just “emergency supplies”.
Or, more generically, an “emergency kit”.
Do you have an emergency kit?
Of course you do!
You’re not dumb.
(Just in case, go to
www.ready.gov
to check on how up-to-date you are.)
The next question, of course, is where to keep it?
In the basement?
Makes sense, if you happen to have a basement.
Except, if the house collapses, which can happen in an
earthquake
or a hurricane, or there’s a flood, how will you get to it?
The kit, I mean.
You could keep it in the garage, assuming you have one.
Or, as “Jeannie” calls it:
“The really big closet.” Which, in
some cases, might be a disaster area in its own right.
Another question: How
do you get in and out of the garage if the power is out?
Can you open the garage door without a “clicker”?
Can anyone else? By
definition, disasters are opportunities for some people.
I once worked in a facility that required a badge to open the door,
which used an electromagnet to operate.
Except when the power went out.
Then the door was wide open for anyone.
Speaking of power outages, how does that phone work for you when there’s
no electricity? “No
problem,” you say. “I’ll
just use my cell phone.”
News flash:
Cell towers run
on electricity. And you
won’t be the only one trying to use it.
Expect to see “…emergency calls only…” or just plain “no
service”.
Of course, you could drive to another location.
Assuming you can get your car out of the garage.
So, how much gas is in the tank?
A good rule of thumb:
Always keep at least a half-tank or more.
And a few emergency supplies in the trunk.
Some years ago, I was attending a “workshop” with co-workers in a hotel
meeting room. One of the
persons was sitting directly under an air vent.
She was freezing and didn’t have a coat or jacket.
During a break, I went out to the parking lot and fished the
thermal blanket (fits inside a plastic sandwich bag!) out of the
emergency kit in the trunk.
That way, she could wrap up and be comfortable for the rest of the day.
Later I overheard another co-worker whispering:
“When the quake hits, I want to be with ‘A’!”
It pays to be prepared.
Love, as always,
Pete
PS. By that afternoon, all
those “free” cans of “flavorless” tomato juice were gone.
| Previous | Next |