Black Friday

I have never had enough of a desire to save money or buy something on the big sales to prompt me to attempt black friday. However, this year, for some strange reason , I felt compelled, yes, compelled to brave the masses in a very limited way. There were three things I wanted at the Walmart midnight sale. The ad didn't say how the sale would work exactly but I had been told by a Walmart employee that they wouldn't be closing at all. This was encouraging because I wouldn't have to stand in the cold but also confusing. How do you stand in line for something? So,  I thought we would check it out. Scott drove and was just going to wait in the car for me. I got inside about 11:35 and the place was crazy! Turns out that they had the big palates out and you were supposed to stand by "yours" and then when midnight struck you could grab your item. They had a walmart employee stationed by each palate to monitor you and keep you from cheating. So, I found the first item I wanted and then headed for the area where they had put the video games. Unfortunately, this is when things got a trifle nasty. There were people in that area than any other, of course, and they were wielding their elbows in such a way that you couldn't even discover what games they had. I stood up on the bench conveniently located next to the mob just to see what the layout was, etc.. and was immediately flagged down by a frowning employee who then promptly ignored me. I started walking back toward the first item, deciding that I would just get that because I didn't that I would die in the process and was pretty well assured to get what I wanted. On the way I asked an employee about the location of the third item  and after a blank stare, she said she didn't know and asked two other employees, who, I am sure where on some sort of mind altering substance as they never completely responded and sort of stumbled around "their area". Giving up on that tactic, I asked a woman walking by who had the aforementioned item in her cart. She directed me to it and informed me that they were almost gone because people were sneaking them into their carts when the employees backs were turned. Turns out the palette for it was about 15 feet down the isle. Why the employees were so clueless about the location I don't know. When I reached the palette I discovered to my dismay that there was only one layer left on the palette. This was a moment of discovering your own human nature and that you aren't perfect. I had the immediate thought that since everyone else was taking them early I better do the same so I could get one. Thankfully I made myself keep walking, without succumbing and went back to my first item where I called Scott and asked for reinforcements. After he came in and discovered the location of item number 3 he decided to take a look at the situation with the video games and later reported to me that people were being very territorial with their hands on the game system box they wanted or video game or whatever. They had staked their claim to box #xyz and you better not think about taking it from them when midnight struck! At about 11:55 someone down in is normally electronics yelled, "They're grabbing stuff!!" And the grabbing frenzy began and it wasn't long until things were stripped bare. In the end, we got 2 of the 3 things I wanted, were third or fourth in the check out line and back to Scott's parents house by 12:40. Overall, a success for a first timer who is also 9 months pregnant, but I have devised a plan for any future black friday escapades :) Lest you be disappointed in my families ability to protect me from the mobs, they did try to keep me from going but short of tying me up there wasn't much they could besides send Scott with me. Scott and I both went out at later points in the day to pick a few more items but the 6 am (Scott), 11 am(me) and 1 pm(Scott) runs were extremely calm and almost disappointing after the Walmart experience. One black friday down and not to shabbily done!