So - this year I braved the crowds at Wal-Mart to get that oh so special gift. Yea, well, I got there too late (I walked in the door at 5:10 AM and the sale started at 5AM) so by the time I made it back to the toy line all the "good gifts were gone." Maybe it was the minute conversation I had with a lady about her taking my cart. She had her arms full, was literally juggling 10-15 different electronics and was still headed off to the clothes section. I insisted she take my empty cart, which she did. I guess Karma isn't awake at 5:15AM. That being what it was I grabbed the things that were the least important on my list(I guess they were the least important on everyone else's list too - because everything I needed was pretty much there - minus some pants in Matthew's size) and stood in line. I learned some very interesting things:
One, whether it be the fever of the sale, or the freezing that occurred while waiting in the line outside the ladies in front of me were unsure as to why they had grabbed the 42" plasma, but everyone else had one, so they needed one too and if it didn't fit into their entertainment center at home, they would just get another one tomorrow
Two, the life size Barbies that they had grabbed were "hideous" but they figured "the girls" would just love them
Three, who cared how much it added up too, it was going on the credit card (which they readily acknowledged was not "real money"
And the idea of 5 lines of people merging into 2 check stands was ridiculous and "something needed to be done about it" - this I agreed with
It wasn't until I had sat in line for 45 minutes (not an exaggeration) that I realized I hadn't moved. I jumped lines, found a line with only 2 people in it, and looked back to see that checker who was in charge of my line 1. should have been retired some time ago and 2. couldn't find the serial number on a piece of electronics and his dear customer refused to leave the piece of precious equipment behind, and so they were on the phone with the manufacturer attempting to retrieve the much needed serial number. I was so happy that I decided to become a line jumper.
When I went back to Wal-Mart this afternoon (don't ask why) the dear sweet ladies that were in front of me had made it out of the store, but exactly when, well, I can only guess.
Merry Christmas - the holidays have begun...
4 comments:
My dear poor sweet Nikki, you should have come with us! At 5:00AM we were brousing through a nearly empty mall and having our pick of whatever we wanted, though the sale prices weren't good enough to tempt us into buying Alisabeth a 12 dollar pair of pants. I even had enough time to stop two passer-byers to aks their opinion on the electric razor I was trying to buy for Jason.
Of course by 8:00am everyone who was in their right mind had finally woken up and then we ended up in an hour long line at Kohls, but up to that point it was easy peasy!! Maybe next year :p
wow, you braved the storm and made it out alive! good story-telling!
I was with you in spirit, but physically at another walmart trying to make my way through the masses of people! Why I do it every year I'll never know!
Can I just say how brave you are for 1. getting up that early
2. going shopping on the busiest day of the season!
Post a Comment