Corona Virus Dispatch from NYC, Day 21: 3.5 hour Grocery Store Line

Sunday morning, we spent 5 hours getting groceries at the Park Slope food coop. It was totally worth it!

Sunday morning, we spent 5 hours getting groceries at the Park Slope food coop. It was totally worth it!


Minute-by-minute Recap

The view from nearly the top of 7th Avenue and President Street. About 1/3 of the line is visible here.

The view from nearly the top of 7th Avenue and President Street. About 1/3 of the line is visible here.

  • 10:09 am - Norene enters the line of people roughly at the corner of 6th Avenue and President Street

  • 11:10 am - I go for a 1 mile walk, then return to Norene’s position. I see various people up ahead of me in line who are doing calisthenics: jumping jacks, lunges, pullups on construction scaffolding

  • 11:40 am - I get a large cup of black coffee at the bagel place on 7th Avenue between President and Union, then return to Norene’s spot

  • 12:16 pm - We have moved about 1 full block, and reach 7th Avenue and President Street

  • 12:43 pm - We reach 7th Avenue and Union

  • 1:10 pm - We are standing 50 feet away from the coop, in front of 800 Union

  • 1:40 pm - We receive our safety briefing about social distancing inside the coop, and then both enter

  • 2:00 pm - I buy 7 bottles of water, 2 bars of Mast Brothers Chocolate, and 5 plain bagels, then get the f*** out of there. I do this so that Norene doesn’t have to fuss with the heavy bottles of water. Then I make a few phone calls, and wait for Norene to text me.

  • 3:00 pm - I pick up Norene in front of the coop. We head back home in our car. As we head down a quiet side street in Prospect Heights, Norene instructs me to honk the horn at anyone who lingers in front of a green light for longer than 2 seconds. I half-heartedly comply. I’m in a totally calm mood. What else would we do on a Sunday? We got to spend time with eachother, and buy FOOD. That is a win.