Summary

The short story “The Disaster Store” by Helen Phillips begins with the narrator and her daughter buying something from a disaster store. The store sells different supplies and emergency resources that help people prepare for upcoming disasters. 

While the narrator tries to pay attention to the salesman, her daughter pulls at her sweatshirt and constantly asks for ice cream. The salesman presents a device meant to protect children from strong currents or toxins, which the narrator wants to buy. She realizes she has to go into credit card debt to buy the device and feels like crying. 

The daughter is impatient and, after a while, she disappears into the store. The narrator panics and rushes to find her, fearing her daughter could have been kidn...