Writer's Block: Black Friday
The most frantic day of the shopping year has been in the past, a day of frantic planning and almost diabolical risk taking to get the deals that would please our children... if only for a few measly days or weeks.
Just as a restaraunteur might wait patiently for the News Paper to reveal the final verdict on their culinary skills, we would wait for the list of sales and begin the series of deductions and pre-thought of who, what, why and how we might get the best deal, or the most for the least.
I can recall an ad for a 5-CD Disk Stereo system with detachable speakers and dual cassett being sold for a measly $50, and as well you could get a Progressive Scan DVD player for $30 as well (at that time, the DVD player was a bargain and still is) There were1/4 carat diamond earrings for $50 as well and random nick nacks and stalking stuffers we would be happy to consider grabbing if encountered during the mad rush to the "good stuff"
We planned our attack well and ventured out to the store at around 3:00am so as to get a good place in line. Upon our approach we discovered that our wants were not as bad as others and halfway around the storefront we found our place in the order of things. My wife and I both armed with Cell Phones sat patiently in line waiting for word about IF the doors would be open at 6AM as promised and if there would be a ticket system for the more popular items or not.
The time drew near, we sat patiently and listened as people around us drew out their own plans of attack, all so optimistic that they would walk out with the same booty we hoped, NO! ENVISIONED would be sitting under our tree that splendid morning adourning our childrens hearts with our spoils of war.
The time drew near, with a knowing nod my wife and I were separated as she went in search of a bathroom and to infiltrate the small group of women that gathered near the front of the store entrance oblivious to the hecklers cemented to their places in line. The young kid guarding the door was no match for this group of "Pro's" as the time drew near and their glares began to work the poor soul with their stares like tigers to a small fragile Gazelle drinking innocently at a water hole. The poor boy never had a chance.
The time arrived, the boy's friend and co-worker attempted to set ground rules and was promptly ignored by those closest to the doors. (Women included) The doors were opened and cries of "One at a time" were briefly heard as well as complaints about the group of women (which now included my wife) as the crowd cut through these employees like a fork through a flaky grilled Salmon Steak. It was obvious that the rules and laws of health and physics played no part in the events of this day as women and men both large and small; smoker or athlete ran down those corridors neck in neck. By the time I was able to get in the doors, I had already received the first reports that my wife was able to get the earrings and was in frantic search of the stereo's. I made it through the door when I received a call from my wife that i was to go to the womens department post haste. Apparently her charms and a few idle threats from another woman were all that was needed for him to spill the beans and I arrived in the womens department to find the pallat of Stereo's already in a state of mass hysteria. I was able to grab ONE and had but only one item left on the list for that day... The DVD player.
of course by that time we both knew this was an effort that was futile at best, but being optimistic, we hung around and gathered the nick nacks we had decided would be good stocking stuffers and waited. Ahhh, our efforts did not go unrewareded. Apparently some of the more novice shoppers were not in tune with the laws of Black Friday and the fact that to take advantage of Lay A Way you had to wait until 10:00am for that specific department to open. For some people, apparently the savings were not worth the wait and we found the remainder of our gold mine sitting in a few abandoned carts in the Lay A Way department as if little helper elves were watching over us. We walked out with about $600 worth of items and spent just a little over $300. Christmas was a success that year, and each year since we have met the challenge! Except this year :(
Unfortunately, due to a recent job change, I had to report to my new place of business at 7Am so was not able to take advantage of the deals. That is ok, because next year, we will plan early and reap the benefits of Black Friday as is written in our destiny! Shoppers Beware!
Just as a restaraunteur might wait patiently for the News Paper to reveal the final verdict on their culinary skills, we would wait for the list of sales and begin the series of deductions and pre-thought of who, what, why and how we might get the best deal, or the most for the least.
I can recall an ad for a 5-CD Disk Stereo system with detachable speakers and dual cassett being sold for a measly $50, and as well you could get a Progressive Scan DVD player for $30 as well (at that time, the DVD player was a bargain and still is) There were1/4 carat diamond earrings for $50 as well and random nick nacks and stalking stuffers we would be happy to consider grabbing if encountered during the mad rush to the "good stuff"
We planned our attack well and ventured out to the store at around 3:00am so as to get a good place in line. Upon our approach we discovered that our wants were not as bad as others and halfway around the storefront we found our place in the order of things. My wife and I both armed with Cell Phones sat patiently in line waiting for word about IF the doors would be open at 6AM as promised and if there would be a ticket system for the more popular items or not.
The time drew near, we sat patiently and listened as people around us drew out their own plans of attack, all so optimistic that they would walk out with the same booty we hoped, NO! ENVISIONED would be sitting under our tree that splendid morning adourning our childrens hearts with our spoils of war.
The time drew near, with a knowing nod my wife and I were separated as she went in search of a bathroom and to infiltrate the small group of women that gathered near the front of the store entrance oblivious to the hecklers cemented to their places in line. The young kid guarding the door was no match for this group of "Pro's" as the time drew near and their glares began to work the poor soul with their stares like tigers to a small fragile Gazelle drinking innocently at a water hole. The poor boy never had a chance.
The time arrived, the boy's friend and co-worker attempted to set ground rules and was promptly ignored by those closest to the doors. (Women included) The doors were opened and cries of "One at a time" were briefly heard as well as complaints about the group of women (which now included my wife) as the crowd cut through these employees like a fork through a flaky grilled Salmon Steak. It was obvious that the rules and laws of health and physics played no part in the events of this day as women and men both large and small; smoker or athlete ran down those corridors neck in neck. By the time I was able to get in the doors, I had already received the first reports that my wife was able to get the earrings and was in frantic search of the stereo's. I made it through the door when I received a call from my wife that i was to go to the womens department post haste. Apparently her charms and a few idle threats from another woman were all that was needed for him to spill the beans and I arrived in the womens department to find the pallat of Stereo's already in a state of mass hysteria. I was able to grab ONE and had but only one item left on the list for that day... The DVD player.
of course by that time we both knew this was an effort that was futile at best, but being optimistic, we hung around and gathered the nick nacks we had decided would be good stocking stuffers and waited. Ahhh, our efforts did not go unrewareded. Apparently some of the more novice shoppers were not in tune with the laws of Black Friday and the fact that to take advantage of Lay A Way you had to wait until 10:00am for that specific department to open. For some people, apparently the savings were not worth the wait and we found the remainder of our gold mine sitting in a few abandoned carts in the Lay A Way department as if little helper elves were watching over us. We walked out with about $600 worth of items and spent just a little over $300. Christmas was a success that year, and each year since we have met the challenge! Except this year :(
Unfortunately, due to a recent job change, I had to report to my new place of business at 7Am so was not able to take advantage of the deals. That is ok, because next year, we will plan early and reap the benefits of Black Friday as is written in our destiny! Shoppers Beware!