Just Trying To Stay Alive: A Prepper's Tale

by Michaels, Brian

  Like I said, I’m not a prepper or a survivalist, but the more I saw in my job, the more I was sure that something is wrong within our government. I wasn’t worried about someone bombing us. I imagine the likelihood of that happening is not that great. I don’t worry because if someone did bomb us with todays high tech nuclear weapons I wouldn’t be around afterwards to worry about much. I feel the greatest danger to our country isn’t coming from the outside, but from the problems within our country.

  I also don’t see the problems being fixed anytime soon, to do what is needed to fix the problems would be politically incorrect or political suicide.

  So the politicians just keep passing the buck to the next generation, one political party putting the blame on the other party, as the time bomb keeps ticking and getting bigger.

  What I saw concerned me so much, I decided that I needed to do something to protect my family before the country imploded.

  If what I feared would happen, New York City with its population of millions in such a confined area was the last place I wanted to be. If the financial system collapsed, civilization as we know it would quickly fall into chaos.

  It would become a mad house, dog eat dog kind of world as everyone did what they had to do to survive.

  I talked to Emma and told her what I was worried about.

  I said I believe that all people are basically good, but if the financial system collapsed, we would see the bad side that is in all people.

  We had a long talk over a few days.

  After our talk, Emma agreed that New York wasn’t the best place to raise our kids even if what I was worried about didn’t happen.

  She said that if I found a different job that I would be happy with, she would be more than willing to move.

  She was ready for a more peaceful and slower paced lifestyle.

  After a few months I received an offer from the West River Electric Company in Rapid City, South Dakota.

  It was a job as an auditor for the Electric Company, a similar type of work but in a much smaller and friendlier environment.

  Two months later we moved and bought a small house in Rapid City.

  I wasn’t looking for a house in the mountains and I wasn’t looking to build a bomb shelter.

  If the financial system collapsed, life would be very different than what we had known but I believe given enough time that the country could rebuild.

  It would be difficult at first, but I was sure the country could survive in some form. I didn’t think I needed a bomb shelter or would need to have a large stash of guns and weapons.

  I felt trying to accumulate large amounts of money would also be futile, if the financial system collapsed our money would be worthless.

  No, what I felt I needed to do to protect my family was to live in a friendlier location to avoid the violence I expected to occur in the beginning and to store up enough food to hold us until the country reorganized.

  Everyone would need to eat and food could be used to barter for almost anything we needed.

  That was my plan, a short version but I think you should get the idea.

  Over the next few years we lived a quiet, peaceful and happy life in Rapid City.

  Each payday we spent our extra money on food and started to fill the large basement in our home with food.

  We joked about how much food we had managed to store in our basement.

  We kept to ourselves what we were doing, the kids mainly were afraid to tell anyone because they thought we would all be hauled away and locked up in an insane asylum.

  I kept an eye on the financial pages in the newspaper and watched as the country’s financial situation got worse.

  Like I said, I’m not a prepper or survivalist in the normal sense of the definition, I consider myself a realist.

  I don’t believe the government is evil, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and just say they have made a lot of stupid decisions. The politicians, they are the problem and quite possibly they are evil, but even if they aren’t evil they are too concerned with being re-elected to make the tough decisions that need to be made to get the country back on the right track.

  I just felt there was a real possibility that someday very soon we would be facing a very big problem, and I wanted to be prepared.

  As my dad wanted, I don’t listen to what people say. I try to find all the facts and make up my own mind and form my own opinions.

  This is my opinion and I have been doing my best to be prepared in the event that it actually happens.

  If you want to call me a prepper or a survivalist, that’s your right, but I really don’t care what you call me.

  All I am concerned about is protecting my family.

  Now that you know who I am and what I believe, let me continue and tell you what happened soon after we moved to South Dakota.

  As you will see, I was right, something bad did happen as I had feared, but it wasn’t what I had expected.

  That just would have been too easy.

  Chapter 3

  Two months ago

  I was getting ready for work around six o’clock this morning like I always do.

  I was especially looking forward to my coffee and donut this morning, or should I say donuts.

  I get my donuts at Tim Hortons, they have the best donuts. Once a year for a week, and only once a year, Timmy’s makes Oreo Cookie donuts, my absolute favorite donuts of all time. They are one of the simple pleasures in life that everyone should experience.

  I registered on Tim Horton’s website so I would know when they have their various seasonal specials, I didn’t want to miss the Oreo Cookie treats.

  Yesterday on my way home from work I stopped at Timmy’s and bought three of the Oreo donuts for my breakfast this morning.

  I usually only have one donut for breakfast each morning, except for this time of the year.

  Honest, I’m not normally a donut junkie.

  I poured my coffee as I heard someone turn on the TV set in the living room. I knew that had to be Logan because he woke up early every morning to watch Star Trek before going to school. Star Trek was always a favorite of mine and I got Logan hooked on it too. Six o’clock on the BBC Network was the only time any station still ran the show anymore.

  Katie on the other hand thought Star Trek was stupid.

  She was also up early this morning, I knew that because I could hear her talking in her bedroom having facetime with all her friends. Why she had to talk to all her friends that she would see at school in a few hours was beyond me, but she was a teenage girl and teenage girls talk a lot.

  Being the father of a teenage girl, I have earned the right to say that without being accused of being insensitive or sexist.

  You can still accuse me of being those things, but I’ve been accused of those things by none other than my own teenage daughter and I will tell you what I told her, “Too Bad!”

  Logan on the other hand usually speaks in one-word sentences, if it’s something that really important to him he might extend a little effort and use three or four words. I think he has a quota and is only allowed to say so many words each day and by the time he gets home from school his quota has been used up.

  When he was younger, he talked a lot and I know before long he will start talking a lot more, like when he will want to borrow the car or borrow money.

  It’s a phase that he will outgrow, so for now I just enjoy the silence

  I pour my French vanilla coffee creamer into my coffee, grab my bag of donuts from the top of the refrigerator and walk over to the table and sit down.

  I take a sip of my coffee and eye the bag.

  I set my coffee mug down and open my donut bag.

  “I thought the bag felt a little light,” I smiled as I looked in the bag and only saw one donut left.

  I was sure where the other two donuts went but I couldn’t be upset, in fact it made me feel guilty and kind of selfish, I should have bought enough for the entire family.

 
; I closed the bag and put the last donut back on top of the refrigerator for Emma, I could stop at Timmy’s on the way to work. For now, I will just drink my coffee as I slowly wake up and begin to think about what is on my schedule for today as I read the paper.

  I’m the only one I know that still likes to read a physical newspaper, I guess I picked that up from my dad.

  Katie never looks at anything but her I-phone. Logan doesn’t seem to read much of anything. Emma seems to be a product of both generations. She has a cell phone, watches TV and reads everything she can get her hands on.

  I have a cell phone too, but I only use it for making and receiving phone calls. I know it can do a lot of other things, but I don’t want bothered having to learn how to do those things.

  Around seven o’clock the activity in the house picks up as we all finish what we are doing and start leaving the house for work and school.

  The first sign of the mass exodus is when someone walks up to me and drops something on the table in front of me.

  I look up and see Logan standing there.

  “What’s this?” I ask.

  “Report card,” was Logan’s rely.

  I looked it over and said, “Not bad, three A’s and one B.”

  “Thanks,” Logan said as he pointed to the line where he needed me to sign.

  I was going to ask him about school and what episode of Star Trek was on TV today, but decided I already had been blessed with three words from Logan this morning.

  I just counted my blessings, smiled as I signed his report card.

  He returned the smile, grabbed his report card and disappeared out the door.

  Just as Logan disappeared out the door, I caught another motion out of my right eye.

  Katie dropped another piece of paper on the table in front of me and said, “Here Dad, would you sign this for me. I was supposed to have had it signed three days ago but I kept forgetting. I have too many other things to do than to get forms signed by my parents. I don’t know why they just can’t send them in the mail, it would sure make things a lot easier and then the teacher wouldn’t have to keep bugging me about it.”

  Like I said, she likes to talk, Logan hasn’t used that many words all month.

  “Is this your report card too?” I asked.

  “No, I turned in my report card Tuesday,” she replied.

  “I don’t remember signing your report card,” I said.

  “Mom signed it,” she replied. “I was tired carrying it around so I had Mom sign it so I could take it back. Mr. Kelley was driving me crazy constantly reminding me about turning my report card back in.”

  “Well, what’s this,” I ask as I picked up the paper and looked it over.

  “It’s from the nurse’s office,” Katie replied.

  “Have you been sick or something?” I asked as I looked at Katie, “How come I didn’t know about that?”

  “No I’m not sick,” Katie replied and rolled her eyes like she always does. “It’s a permission slip to get a free flu shot. Didn’t Mom tell you about it, I texted her on Monday?”

  “No this is the first I’m hearing about this,” I replied.

  “Well, could you just sign it? It’s due today and some big bus is coming to our school today to give the shots.”

  “Why are they giving free flu shots?” I asked.

  “They told us that the government has determined it is going to be a bad flu season this year, so they want to give shots to all the school kids,” Katie replied.

  When I heard Katie say the government is giving free flu shots the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

  “The government is giving free flu shots,” I started.

  “I know how you feel about anything to do with the government, but Dad, it’s just a flu shot,” Katie sighed. “All the kids are getting the shot. They said they are starting with California and South Dakota this week. Eventually they plan on going all around the country.”

  “I don’t know Katie,” I said. “I don’t know anything about this vaccine. I don’t think I want you getting this until I know more about what it is.”

  “I guess you don’t have to sign it,” Katie replied.

  “I’m not going to sign it until I do some research into what this is,” I said.

  “Today is the only day I can get it for free,” Katie added.

  “I’m still not going to sign it,” I replied. “If I determine the shot is something you really need, I’ll pay for you to get one later. Sorry kid.”

  “That’s OK Dad,” Katie smiled. “I heard that they were going to give us the shot in the ass, I hate getting shots in the ass. Oops, Sorry Dad, I didn’t mean to say that.”

  “Yeah, I know, you didn’t mean to say that in front of me,” I grinned. “You don’t need to say that word in front of anyone. Remember, you’re a lady.”

  “Really Dad, that’s so old fashion and sexist,” Katie replied.

  “Yep, that’s me,” I smiled. “Watch your mouth.”

  “Yes Sir,” Katie replied. “Sorry again.”

  Just then Katie’s cell phone buzzed.

  She grabbed her phone and held it to her ear then started talking a mile a minute.

  She started for the door but stopped and turned back to face me.

  “Thanks Dad, I have to go,” she mouthed silently, then turned and was out the door.

  Now it was my turn.

  I stood, gulped down the last of my coffee, rinsed out my cup and put it on the rack in the sink.

  I folded the paper but left it on the table for Emma to read later.

  I headed back to the bedroom for my final stop before leaving for work.

  Emma worked part time down at the pharmacy. Today was her day off so we let her sleep in.

  I stuck my head in through the bedroom doorway to see her lying in bed. Emma looked up at me.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she smiled.

  “Well maybe after I leave you can try to go back to sleep,” I smiled.

  “I’ll try,” she replied.

  “Say, did you know about the flu shot the school was giving to Katie’s class today?” I asked.

  “I know she texted me something about a flu shot earlier this week,” Emma replied. “I didn’t read it. I figured she would talk to you about it.”

  “You figured she would talk to me about it?” I laughed.

  “Yes, she would talk to you,” she grinned. “She’s daddy’s little girl. Most girls talk to their mother about things like their first period or their first boyfriend, except for Katie. Daddy’s little girl talks to her dad about everything. Me, all she does is send me text messages.”

  I laughed.

  “Well, I didn’t sign it,” I said. “She said it had to be in today. I’ll check in to it, if it’s anything worthwhile, we can take her to the doctor ourselves and get her the shot. I don’t trust anything the government does without checking it out first.”

  Emma laughed again, “I know,”

  “But I think your wrong about Katie confining in me about everything,” I said.

  “I don’t think so,” Emma laughed. “She tells you about everything. I only find out about what all she is up to when I talk to you.”

  “Then how come she had you sign her report card?” I asked.

  “She came to me about her report card because she didn’t want you to see it,” Emma replied then added, “but don’t you say anything, I made a deal to keep quiet. I’m sure you’ve noticed she has been washing the dishes all week without complaining.”

  “I was wondering about that,” I laughed. “But why didn’t she want me to see her report card? She always gets straight A’s.”

  “She got a D in Algebra,” Emma replied.

  “How did she get a D in Algebra?” I asked. “She is brilliant in that subject. I know because I helped her study for the semester final, I think she is better than I am.”

  “She claims that it’s because of the new Algebra teacher. She says he is some jerk
the school just hired from California,” Emma replied. “As I understand it the final consisted of only one question. If I remember she said the question was, in Fresno California the population is twenty thousand people, fifty-five percent female, forty-five percent male, sixty percent Caucasian, fifteen percent African American, fifteen percent Latino and ten percent Asian. Three percent of the population is Gay.

  The city is electing five council members, what should the makeup of the new council members be?

  Katie said she thought it was a trick question and answered the five council members should be made up of the five most qualified candidates elected by the voters.

  The teacher gave her an F for her answer.

  Katie said she went to talk to the teacher after class to find out what she did wrong. The teacher gave her what the answer should have been and lectured her that if she didn’t become more open minded and fair thinking she would never get anywhere in the world.

  But since he said her type of bigoted thinking seemed to be the norm for this part of the country, he said it wasn’t all her fault she was like she was and changed the grade to a D and told her she had better learn to be more open minded about our society.

  Those weren’t her exact words, but I think you get the idea. Anyway, she didn’t want you to see that she got a D in Algebra.”

  “That son of a bitch, how dare he talk to my little girl like that,” I said. “I think I need to go have a talk with that idiot. You say he is from California, no wonder California keeps going bankrupt and they just don’t understand why except that the rich aren’t paying enough taxes.”