The Retelling

I searched everywhere in the grocery store, including aisle five, yet there was not one pack of toilet paper left.

In a panic, I asked the stocker, “Deja vu?”

The stocker's face expressed confusion, and a nervous sweat trickled down his glasses. “I don’t know what you are asking, sir, but we have been out of toilet paper since Monday's news.”

“Wait, what news?” I said with a confused look.

“Look at your phone,” The visibly frustrated stocker responded.

A breaking news notification popped up. “A pandemic has been discovered that is spreading in multiple countries and will soon hit the United States. We ask that people stock up on all supplies, especially toilet paper!”

“I swear this has happened before,” I said to the stocker.

“Sir, this is the first time we have had a pandemic since 2009.”

“2009?” No way. This is the year 2026.

The stocker looked at me with a blank expression, the kind of expression someone uses when they think someone is odd, “Sir, it is January 2020.”

I rushed out of the store and yelled, “Is life pulling a prank on me!?”

I rushed home to my one-bedroom apartment and scrolled through more websites for any further news on the matter.

Just then, I received a voicemail: “Hello, Barkley, this is your mom. Please ensure you have a sufficient supply of toilet paper, food, and water. The news is calling this the Corona Virus, and it is spreading all around the world! It has already spread in one state, and they are saying it will continue to spread within more states. Please be careful. Oh, and can you get my favorite candy, you know, the M & Ms, when you go to the store? Love you, bye.”

In a panic, I called back, “Hello, Mom? Are you pranking me, too?”

“Son, what do you mean?”

“Am I going crazy?”

“Son, you are confusing me. What do you mean?”

“Mom, I was just at the grocery store. There was no toilet paper, no food, barely any water to buy, and when I asked the stocker, they were barely working and told me we ran out of toilet paper!” I further said, “Not only that, I was told its January 2020 and news notifications on my phone are saying we are in a pandemic, but it's March 2026!”

My mother paused for a second and said nothing.

“Mom, hello?” with the assumption that the call dropped.

“Barkley David Jackson, are you okay?”

Whenever my mom included my middle name, I was either in trouble, or she was worried about me.

“Mom, why are you reacting like the grocery store worker?”

“Because today is January 20, 2020. It is not March 2026.” She followed up with, “You know I am an avid researcher, and I have read some of the symptoms reported before the disease reached the United States can affect our thinking and memory. It is only in one state right now, but I think you should get checked out by a doctor in case it has already spread here.”

“Mom, I do not have COVID, and the date on my phone when I checked this morning said it is March 2nd, 2026.”

“Okay, son, do me a favor and check the date on your phone right now.”

Wanting to show I was not going crazy, I quickly checked, “Wait, no, this makes no sense. The date is January 20, 2020. But, how? I swear, this morning the date was March 2nd, 2026! Also, why is my iPhone an iPhone 11 Pro? This phone is supposed to be an iPhone 17!”

“Son, eat something, and get some rest,” my mom emphasized in a concerned tone. “And please take off work tomorrow to make a doctor's appointment.”

I was flustered from the call with my mom and thinking about my conversation earlier at the grocery store. I kept going back to myself, asking the stocker if this was Deja Vu when there was no toilet paper left. Was I just having a dreadful day? Was I imagining things? Was I really in 2020, not 2026? I could feel the tension in my head and my thoughts rapidly spinning. I figured at this point I might as well listen to my mom's advice and eat before going to bed. I could always wake up in the morning, and things could be back to normal.

Morning came, and I had one goal in mind, especially since today was Friday: avoid the news at all costs.

I got dressed for work and was in the process of crossing the street when I almost dropped my briefcase. People were all wearing masks and walking quite apart from each other. As I crossed the street, I saw multiple social distancing signs and people getting on public transportation that were limiting the number of passengers allowed on. I tried walking into a coffee shop to stop my ongoing panic, but there was a line.

I asked the older lady in front of me, “Why is there a line here? There is never a line!”

The older lady walked further away from me, “Don’t you read the news? We are in a pandemic, and COVID has already spread rapidly here, so we are all social distancing. Wear a mask, young man!”

I said to myself, “Okay, I’m making a doctor's appointment.”

Later that day, I made a doctor's appointment with my primary physician, DR. Wallace. I did my best not to panic even more when I saw the television in the waiting area showing clips of increasing COVID cases, and the mayor stressed the importance of social distancing.

“Mr. Barkley?” The nurse called my name.

“Yes, that is me.”

“Come with me so I can take your blood pressure and vitals.”

I waited 20 minutes before I heard a knock, “Hi, Barkley, how are you?”

“Not great.”

“The nurse told me you felt you were going crazy?”

“Yes, Dr.”

“What’s the issue?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yesterday, after work, I went to the grocery store, and there was no toilet paper. I asked the stocker, and they told me we were in a pandemic. I talked to my mom when I got home, and she told me it was January 20, 2020. Then earlier today, when I was heading to work before calling in, everyone was social distancing, public transportation limited passengers, social distancing signs were everywhere, the coffee shop that never has a line had a line, and an old lady told me to wear a mask!”

My doctor looked genuinely concerned and told me, “Barkley, I want you to do me a favor, and close your eyes for a few seconds, take a few deep breaths, and then open them.”

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. Next thing you know, I woke up at my personal desk with books all around me; the rewards of attempting an all-night study session.