Rethinking the Grey Man

[Little Lou]

Recent events are making me think that to be truly 'grey', the prepper actually needs to be nore of a chameleon. I realize the current situation is nothing like a SHTF event (or at least not yet!) but the build-up could be similar, and it's struck me how very public and open the whole thing has been. Instead of just walking past without taking notice, people have suddenly become much, much more interested in their neighbours.

Some of this interest is hostile. I chose to blend in by clapping the NHS along with most of the people on my road, but was shocked by the suspicion with which many were regarding those households who did NOT join in. Even at social distance I could see the black looks being cast at the silent houses, and hear someone saying 'I bet they're hoarders'. If the situation had degenerated, these houses would have been the first target for looting.

Some of the interest is just kindness - a natural extension of the feeling of 'we're all in it together'. No-one can blame this instinct, but as an NHS Responder phone volunteer I came across two cases where households who might have been naturally reclusive from choice were being named to us as places we ought to phone or visit 'to check they're okay'. I should stress that the Responders did not do this - the rule is only to go where we're invited - but it was quite clear neighbours were doing a lot of banging on doors where it might have been very unwelcome.

I might have thought this problem was only a result of having to spend lockdown in a fairly built-up area (large village), but it turned out to be the same at my real house in the country. My neighbour there phoned me on the mobile because (not knowing I was down south) they were all getting worried at my non-appearance and wanted to check I was all right. Our house there is relatively isolated, but I hadn't made allowances for the fact that in the North people are much friendlier. Actually this has helped me, as my very kind neighbours kept my garden watered all through the first months until I could get back up to look after it myself.

All of this has clarified my idea of the 'grey man' - that to be truly invisible we need to blend in. It's meant that for me to step back, I've had to step forward - hence the volunteering, the clapping, and even some lending of supplies. Because I gave my neighbour my 'spare' bag of strong bread flour, no-one thinks I'm a prepper, and no-one thinks I've got anything else hidden away. On the contrary - when I helped another neighbour register for help on the vulnerable list, the first thing she did when her food parcel arrived was bring me round some pasta and tinned tomatoes because she didn't eat them and 'thought I might need it'.

How do other members feel about this? Am I the only one who was surprised by the way the public reacted to all this, or has your experience been different? I know we're not really into Major Event territory yet, but I think what we're seeing might be a good indication of how things might go in the early stages of a big one, and would be very interested to hear your thoughts.