The Day After

(in my best Sophia Petrillo voice)Picture it....1997

My buddy Pat was telling me how she liked to get out on Friday after Thanksgiving to go shopping. Well, I had only heard horror stories and shook my head at the crazy people that got out of bed early in the morning to go into a store and stand in line for what? To save a few dollars? My time was worth more than that, bump a sale. She bugged me and bugged me until I caved and told her that I would go...but we would drive separate cars because when I was ready to leave - I would hop in Denzel (my car) and head to the house.

Friday after Thanksgiving, I pull up to her house at 4:30am. Her two Labs were even sleeping and didn't move when I walked in. I followed her to the store and we got in line. It wasn't bad, especially when you see all of the other crazies out at that time of morning. There is a little comraderie in the line, but you are on your own when the door opens.

I had a ball, and since that year I have gone every year. And yes, the following year, we took the same vehicle because I didn't need an escape.

Pat moved away in 2000, so I have been going solo every year because I have been unable to recruit anyone to go along with me. Oh well, I have to admit I am a hard core Black Friday shopper. I am out there as early as the first store opening. This year, the first stores are opening at 4am; I have a rep to protect, so I have to be out there then too.

My secret? I do not go out with my heart set on any one thing because odds are, the stores have the advertisements in the paper to get you there, but they might have only 4 or 5 of the sale item in the store.

I am usually done with my Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving so most of the shopping on Black Friday is for ME. Finally, if the line is too long and I am getting impatient, I will put my stash down and move on. Since it is usually for me, if I don't want to stand there, then I don't really want it.

I think those reasons are how I get through the craziness. As my friend Suzanne calls it, the human theater is wonderful ESPECIALLY when they are fighting over a particular item. I have seen fights over Elmo and Furbies; I've witnessed a police officer getting trampled because he didn't move fast enough when he opened the door. Oh well, that's life, and that is Black Friday.

Happy Shopping Ya'll.