Opinion

Things To Know During Times Of Crisis

What I learned after living through a militia backed coup

Photo by Spenser H on Unsplash

Things get back to some sense of normal eventually. You just need to get to yourself to that point.

What happened at the Pharmacy

It was an ordinary day at the pharmacy where I worked as a student. Customers came and went, and I barely noticed the television screen set up over the photocopier; it broadcasted the sleep inducing proceedings in the parliament of our tiny Caribbean country.

And then I heard gunshots coming from the T.V.

I glanced up and there were armed men shooting across the screen. Senators I recognized, scrambled for cover. Men in army camo were shooting at them. Every eye in the store fixed on the little screen.

For long moments we gawked, disbelieving. But the talking heads let us know in panicked voices: a military coup was ongoing at the center of our government; they had already captured most of the entire cabinet, including the president.

And then chaos.

Every customer in there panicked. We kept right on selling.

People tried to purchase a year’s supply of medicine. We couldn’t answer the phone. The owner called for extra security, fights broke out in the aisles.

The coup lasted six days and in that time everything changed for our sleepy little island.

People Panicked

They began spending money on every conceivable good they could buy. In the Pharmacy the entire stock was almost sold out completely within days. Somme things were constantly in demand; within hours we sold almost every cigarette in the store, every conceivable battery, condom, feminine sanitary product and snack on the shelves.

At the pharmacy, panic buying may leave you without medical cover. Discuss with your doctor, the possibility of having more than three months supply of critical meds.

If you can afford it, stock up ahead of time and rotate your supply so that nothing expires in your hands.