The Red Boots
Black Friday, 2016
I recently was sent an article claiming that this time of year shoppers are ‘duped’ into believing they have this one chance for the quintessential bargain they simply cannot live without and, by the way, there are many more things you just MUST have while you are at it and, further, you must ‘fight’ the other shoppers for it! This makes you a bovine individual. Never mind you all have free will and no one can force you to spend your money.
Well, this bovine-like individual went straight to the mall after we left our friend’s wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings in search of the bargain I was waiting for since I received the flyer in the mail. I walked straight back to that department, weaving through and around the tons of shoppers filling the aisles, to the huge stack of boxes with every color, size and style of boot in that brand. It took me quite a while to finally find the one I wanted in my size but, patience and persistence paid off. There they were, right at eye-level, exactly what I wanted in my size. I took the box over to a quiet corner to try them on, even eliciting the oohs and awes of shoppers who stated, “Those look great on you.” “What a find!” I satisfied myself that the fit was indeed perfect and it was exactly the color I wanted – red boots –
(This reminds me of when I was a little girl and I really, really wanted red patent-leather shoes. I kept asking my mother for red shoes and she kept putting me off with one excuse after another but I persisted until finally she confessed that “Redheads don’t wear red, they aren’t suitable for you.” I accepted that at face value and never asked again but…I never stopped wanting red shoes. Now I have come full circle…)
Back to the story…I took my sought-after box of red boots to the checkout station, patiently waiting my turn, paid the $19.99 + tax, met up with Bob and we left the department store and the mall, walking briskly back to our car and drove home. I came for what I sought, bought what I had long wanted and drove straight home with my Black Friday Special!! I consider myself a discerning shopper and do not succumb to the idiotic mind-set of the masses. So…maybe I’m not ‘bovine-like’ after all….