Y2K

Does anyone here remember Y2K, and the proposed disaster that was to happen at midnight on New Year’s Eve of 1999? Some of you weren’t even born then. Let me tell you a story of a catastrophic world-changing event that almost happened.

Y2K was the name given to the proposed reality was that was to happen. The catastrophe that would change the world. The catastrophe that all computers in the world would shut down at the same time.

Let’s start our story in a little township outside of Tacoma Washington, two years before the Y2K event. The year, 1998.

Roxanne lived and had tended her garden for several years. She harvested the fruits of her garden, sharing them with her neighbors and friends. She grew tall corn, round tomatoes, green beans on huge teepee stakes, big orange carrots, tall stalks of brussels sprouts, red and green lettuce, kale, green spinach, broccoli, and trellises of green snow peas.

Neighbors were amazed at the amount of wonderful vegetables she offered from her garden. The neighbors would tease Roxanne by saying that if they were hungry, they would come eat at her house. Roxanne would smile and give the neighbors armloads of food. They gratefully accepted the luscious bounty year after year.

Then, one year, about 2 years before the year 2000, the computer scientists and government predicted a major catastrophe that would cause a global breakdown in food, transportation, and economy. The government predicted all computers at the stroke of midnight, December 31,1999 would crash and be the end of civilized world as we knew it. The computers, designed in the 1970s had small memory storage chips, and were not designed to handle the turn of the century number 2000.Computers would not be able to tell the difference between 1900 and 2000. All information gathered would be lost.

We were told that as a result, airplanes would fall out of the sky, banking and financial institutions would be frozen, all commerce would stop. Nuclear rockets would be launched; cities would be destroyed around the world. Economy and life as we knew it would fail.

People wouldn’t be able to buy food, chaos would ensue, and civil disobedience would cause riots, killings, and other such mayhem.

At first, Roxanne didn’t pay too much attention. She knew her garden would produce year after year. She had a well-stocked pantry, and a small amount of cash on hand.

However, as Roxanne listened to the news reports and predictions, she began to worry. What if the predictions came true? What if there was widespread famine due to shipping? What would she do if her good neighbors became hungry and came to steal food or supplies? What would she do?

She decided to do two things in the next two years left before the year 2000. She would first talk to her neighbors to find out what they planned to do to be prepared. Then, with what they told her, plan her garden.

Roxanne went to her neighbors one by one to ask them.

John said, “I don’t believe that the computers will fail. The upcoming disaster is a fear ploy of the government. They just want to sell emergency kits and to raise the price of gasoline. I am doing nothing out of my normal shopping. People are just stupid to believe their lies.”

Beverly said, “My son works at Microsoft and there will not be a meltdown in the economy.” Then lowering her eyes and voice continued, “I am not so sure the computers can handle the change over, and even if the computers fail, I have enough food set aside for about a month.” With a wistful expression, she continued, “After all, the government said they would fix the problem and we would be back to normal. At least I hope so.”

Lonnie, a college student, said, “I don’t know what I would do. Maybe I would just go back to my parents’ home, and hope that everything would be OK”.

Roxanne went home to think about the neighbors’ reactions to the government predictions. She pondered for a while, then made a decision. She would not only plant a garden next year, but also make it larger. She also could buy boxes of fruit and dry them for preservation. She owned two dehydrators.

Looking around the neighborhood, Roxanne saw large patches of wild blackberries that no one harvested. She hoped the neighbors wouldn’t chop down the canes next fall when the berries would be ripe.

Several months after the first announcements, Roxanne and Jerry, her husband, discussed the predictions after a newscast on TV about Y2K. The newscaster sounded scared. The next program gave information on what to put into an emergency kit. Everyone, every household needed a plan to survive several months.

“How about if we get a gun?” Jerry asked. “Then we could keep anyone out who tried to break in.”

“I would rather not have a gun.” Roxanne said. “I really don’t want to hurt or kill anyone who is hungry or needs shelter. Some of the desperate people could be our neighbors, and especially John and Lorraine.” Roxanne pointed in the direction of their house. “I spoke to John the other day. He isn’t stocking up on any supplies or food. He doesn’t believe anything will happen.”

“Well,” Jerry said, “I wouldn’t want to hurt them. You are right. They have been nice neighbors.” He sat for a moment thinking. “But not everyone will be nice. They will kill us if they wanted. I still think a gun is a good idea.”

He turned to Roxanne, “Since you don’t want to get a gun, what do you think we should do?’

Roxanne smiled and waved her hand in the air as if drawing people in. “I would want to have hobo soup every night for anyone who is hungry.”

“Hobo soup! What is that?”

Roxanne smiled. “That’s what my dad called it. He said he remembered the hobos of the 1930s and the 1940s. The hobos who rode the trains would get together in the evenings. Each person would bring something to put into the pot. hey never knew what the soup would be, since everyone contributed.”

Jerry looked at her as if to say, ‘you have got to be kidding.’

Roxanne continued, “So, if we had to feed a lot of people, we would ask them to bring something to add to a soup pot. It could be a meat from a freezer that has no electricity, fresh veggies before they spoil.” Roxanne sat back. “Also rice, dried beans, pasta, or cans of food.

“My thought is…with Y2K occurring in December, and here in Washington, we would have plenty of water from rain or snow. We have lots of wood and trees here on our property to cut, if necessary. We can set up a fire pit for cooking.” She thought for a moment, putting her elbows on the table.

Jerry sat quietly considering her words. Then asked, “How much food do you think we should have?”

“I checked this fact out. It takes about a quart of food of any kind to keep a person alive. More if they are a bigger person.” Roxanne smiled. “That means just for you and me, we will have to have about two quarts per day. If we need to survive without help, we will need at least 180 quarts to last 90 days.”

Roxanne brought out a sheet of paper and a pencil. “Let’s see. For two people without anyone else bringing or eating, 180 quarts will be about 15 cases. Don’t forget about the paper products we need. If we have John and Lorraine join us, we will need to double these numbers.”

Jerry looked over Roxanne’s hen scratches, and other notes on the paper. He smiled. “Yes, it looks pretty accurate to me.” He examined the notes again. “Of course, every other person who joins will increases the numbers. If we have lots of people, well, this becomes difficult. Won’t we get tired of eating the same thing all the time?”

Roxanne perked up. “Actually, we will can the veggies separately so one day we can have corn, another day green beans, another day something else. Or we can mix vegetables for something different. “She raised her finger in the air, “Of course don’t forget rice, beans, and pasta that we can put in canning jars also.” Then added, “And flour.”

“Where do you think we need to store all this food?” Jerry asked.

“In the garage, of course.” Roxanne excitedly stated, “We will need to get shelves to make everything neat and orderly.”

Jerry went to secondhand stores and purchased hundred of canning jars. Freestanding shelving units were installed in the garage.

That summer Roxanne and Jerry grew a large garden. Instead of giving away the produce, they dehydrated and canned the food. Roxanne picked and dehydrated wild berries and fruits. Boxes if peaches and apricots were canned or made into marmalade.

Soon the shelves were overfilled with canning jars of processed foods. Roxanne also learned to can beef, chicken, and fish.

A corner of the garage was dedicated to paper products, such as paper towels, toilet paper, and paper plates. The garage looked more like a home grocery store than a garage.

Fall of the year 1999 arrived. Along with it, the newscasters’ predictions of imminent disaster became more emphatic. The news became filled with emergency preparedness. The advertisements for emergency kits added to the panic. Buy these kits, be prepared, shelter in place, your friend is not your friend. The newscasters pointed to anarchy.

Jerry and Roxanne didn’t do much for the Christmas and New Years celebrations, simply enjoying each other’s company. They felt comfortable just being prepared for whatever was to come.

New Year’s Eve 1999 was a quiet night for Roxanne and Jerry. They watched TV sitcom programs until about 11 pm.

“Jerry, I hope all is fine in the morning, but I am not staying awake to see if the computers fail. There is nothing more that we can do to prepare. I don’t want to be afraid of the future. If the nuclear bombs come, we don’t have to worry anyway.”

“You are right. We should be OK, and panic will not take care of anything anyway.”

They lifted a glass of champagne, “To the future,” Jerry said.

“To the future.” Roxanne smiled as she raised her glass.

Roxanne and Jerry went to bed with a quiet heart. Two years of preparations, the canning, dehydrating, and stockpiling of supplies were in the garage, ready for whatever came next.

The next morning, Roxanne and Jerry got up. Jerry turned on the TV. The newscasters with excitement in their voices stated, “I am glad to announce the crisis of the Y2K computers breakdown has not happened. I repeat, the computers are functioning properly. Airplanes are resuming their schedules; we just missed disaster.”

The news announcer continued for several more minutes, repeating the words. “The American public can continue on with their lives. The computer crisis as been averted.”