Back End Supply

Growing up, our back-end supply was limited. We were always buying the products needed when they ran out, such as Herbal Essence Shampoo. A throwback, right?

There have always been “notes to self” growing up when going to other people’s homes. I was talking to someone about this the other night. It sent me back.

When Fred and I were in college, we became friendly with a couple. She was an NYC kid, born, bred, and raised. They had a summer house upstate, and her boyfriend was a local from the area. They had an apartment on Marlborough Street. Unclear if they all split the rent, but she lived there with the boyfriend and his sister. It was a spacious two-bedroom apartment.

Fred and I were intrigued by them and their living situation. Something ran out in the bathroom one day, and she (no names here) opened up the closet to get another item. It was mind-blowing to me. Vitabath was a product they used in their showers. There were at least 4 bottles of Vitabath, and then again, there were 4 items of everything in back-end supply.

Fast forward, we are deep in back-end supply. When one of the kids comes over for dinner and needs something, they just go into my well-stocked closet. It is that way from the pantry to the linen closet. Unclear why that is comforting to me, but it is.

The bonus was during Covid when the supply chain showed its ugly head; our supply chain was just fine. Plenty of toilet paper, shampoo, soap, olive oil, spices, zip locks, tin foil, savory condiments, brown sugar, and others items that could last through a few months of multiple bodies and mouths.

Just funny how one “note to self” makes an impact on how I lived my life after seeing that closet.