It was a cold and clear, nearing midnight when I made the most moronic decision of my adult life. I decided, with the pressure of my sister-in-law and brother, to go with them to Toys R Us the friday after Thanksgiving.
At first I thought, "hey this might be fun." In fact I was even looking forward to the grand shopping experience. Well after what I had experienced that night, i doubt that I will ever, ever go shopping again.
First things first. Let me start by saying that we all arrived at Toys R Us at 11:00 Thanksgiving night. When we arrived the line to get into the store was already backed up all the way down to Hastings Music Store. By the time the store opened it's doors, the line was as backed all the way to Factory Card outlet. During the wait in the horrible line, I couldn't help but to think about how stupid people really get during the Christmas shopping season. I mean, here are all these people, myself included, standing out in the cold waiting for a store to open to hopefully buy gifts that might save the consumer a little bit of many. Then as time got closer for the store to open up it's doors, people then tried to butt into the line instead of waiting like everyone else. It even got so bad that Joplin Police and to come in and restore order. People were actually arrested and there were fights to get closer to the front of the line. Now remember, me and my family memebers were in line at 11:00 p.m. We finally made it into the store at 1:00 a.m. It took us two hours to get into the store!!!!!!!! Just when you think that it couldn't get any worse. It did.
Once inside of the store I got to witness even more stupidity of the American shopper. People were running, pushing, and even yelling at each other for stupid toys. I seen one woman literally take a toy out of the hands of another woman because it was the last of that particular toy in the store. All I could do was just sit back and laugh at what I was witnessing.
For me I went on the trip purely for entertainment purposes. In fact I have been finished with all my Christmas shopping since the first part of November. All I have left to buy are just little items that are in abundant supply.
Now, a person might ask me, "Mike will you do the day after Thanksgiving shopping again?" My answer will be? ABSOLUTELY!!!! I had an awesome time laughing and making fun of all the serious shopper. My sister-in-law included.
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This is absolutely hilarious! I will show it to the rest of my family after I’m done commenting :-) Shopping in America is a disease! People go out and buy and buy and buy, and then sell it all for less than a dollar at a garage sell. Amazing! I am one of the rare women who hates shopping. I come into the store with a list, buy what’s on it and out of that store as soon as I can possibly be.
ReplyDeleteThe fight in the shopping line kind of reminds me of the lines I saw yesterday in Blantyre. The first wave of fuel arrived into Malawi after a month of shortages. Lines were unbelievable! People were getting into fist fights over it. Tankers could not even pull up to the stations to unload more fuel because people refused to give up their spots in line! What a mess!
That is hallarious. And I would believe every word of it. I remember going with my Aunt one year when I was younger to Toys R Us, and we were passing an isle and saw two woman fist fighting over a tickle me elmo doll. I didn't go this year because I didn't want to get beat up from all the crazy people out there shopping. But I guess it would be fun just to go and not shop, like you said, just to see the people fighting and for the entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI never understood the whole black friday thing I do not think I could do it no matter how good the sale might me. You would have to fight off people to get what you wanted in the first place. I think I will just wait and shop on a normal day for my gifts.
ReplyDeleteThat is beyond funny, I was at Toys R Us in Kansas City and the line was well over two miles long, I was in the first mile of it. They were a bit more curtious from what you say than the people in Joplin which suprises me by loads. But yes once you got inside that is where the real funny side of it all, pushin and shoving all over toys. Talking about retracting back to your childhood. But it was fun, I only hurt for standing in the line for an hour outside in the below freezing weather. But hey you only live once and if you can't laugh about it who will? Great Writing !!
ReplyDeleteI did do some shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It was all online. I have a phobia of crowds, and am prone to panic attacks in them.
ReplyDeleteBesides. Like Irina, I HATE shopping. HATE it. (Unless it's at a book store, and then my other half and I would spend hours and hundreds of dollars, if we had hours and hundreds of dollars to spend).