THREE RIVERS AREA — I’ve never been much of a shopper, and Black Friday scares me to death.
Last year, a couple of my girlfriends who are veteran Black Friday shoppers talked me into going with them.
These women are the ones you read about in the headlines the next morning, the ones who allegedly knocked someone down in order to get a $3 set of sheets.
We met in the darkness of the night to chart the course for the morning. Because I was inexperienced and they knew if I were to have an assignment, I’d blow it, I was able to just observe the whole tactical operation.
Groggy with not nearly enough coffee and still full from Thanksgiving, I watched them go through each store’s sale ads and mark the items they wanted and how many of each. Then they charted their course on a map of the store. They synched their watches and dispersed. Each woman, wads of cash in hand, had a post at which she would beat someone up if she had to so she could get the assigned number of televisions, latest toy or the vacuum cleaner that was on sale for 9 bucks. Then they would meet back and divvy up the items and stuff them into their respective cars. Then on to the next store, trying to hit as many stores as possible before we all had to be at work in a few short hours.
Just before daylight, my girlfriends were loaded down, with all their Christmas shopping done. I came away with a small ornament some lady gave me for coming into one of the stores.
I commend these ladies for getting things done, but this type of commando shopping just isn’t for me. I believe I’d rather pay more for an item than go through a war zone to save 5 bucks.
Although I enjoy a leisurely Christmas shopping trip and admiring all the festive displays and listening to toe-tapping Christmas music, I must say the least stressful shopping experience I had was four years ago. I was eight-months pregnant and on strict orders not to go anywhere.
With none of my Christmas shopping done, I was beginning to panic. Even though I couldn’t sit in my desk chair for long periods, I positioned myself on my Pilates ball, my enormous belly resting between my legs, and began checking out all the online Black Friday sales. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many of the big stores have online sales during certain hours on Black Friday. Skipping around from store to store, I did all my Christmas shopping in one sitting. Well, I did have to take a couple of potty breaks, but at least I didn’t have to run the risk of being one of those women who was trampled during a big blue-light special.
As a journalist, I’ve experienced a lot of things. I’ve held a barn owl, explored wild caves and even jumped out of an airplane, but nothing compares to the fear I had on that Black Friday trip with the girls.