Soft green pastures, shopping malls, or bed...

I did something today that I swore I would NEVER do....I went shopping on Black Friday!!!

Not like those freaks that get up at 3:00 in the morning and stand out in the freezing November cold waiting in line to be one of the first in the store when they open at 4:00am. Not, like my cousin and his wife, who were going to the outlet stores at midnight, cause that's when a couple stores were gonna have all the best sales. Nope not at all like that.

But when other people mentioned it and all the deals available on Black Friday, I'd always say that I'd rather pay a hundred dollars more for something than have to deal with the crowds and traffic and insanity.

But I saw advertised somewhere that Circuit City was going to have the Magellan GPS systems on sale, a hundred dollars off, just today. And since mom will be driving most places by herself now, I wanted to get her a GPS system. Not only for planned trips to places she's never been, but what if she's going somewhere and makes a wrong turn? This will help her get back on track.

So after work, I got to Circuit City, about 4:15 pm. The traffic was heavy, but not insane. And I parked well enough away from the front of the store that I didn't have to deal with people fighting over the closest parking space while trying to navigate between package laden shoppers. I didn't mind the walk.

Inside, again, it was busy, but not insane. I asked a guy about it, and he directed me to the back of the store to a guy names LJ, that was his department and he'd help me. I also at this time noticed they had four registers open, and at least three people in line at each one. I groaned inwardly.

I got back to the section he indicated and I found a whole display of Magellan GPS thingees, but the tags said they were 229...not the ones on sale. So I wandered around a bit, dodging carts, people and displays. I found another Magellen GPS system for $399...but I didn't want that one. See, this is primarily for mom (although I may want to borrow from time to time), and I didn't need something that had a whole bunch of bells and whistles and gadgets she wouldn't use anyway. I wanted a simpler version.

Finally, I located LJ, but before I could make eye contact, this lady in her 50's pushing a cart full of boxes and well as three bags from different stores, pushed right up to him and asked where something was. I didn't hear what she wanted. but LJ told her it was up front with the rest of those things. The lady said she came from there and the girl directed her here. LJ assured her what she wanted was up front. Then she got all huffy and was like, "Well you people need to know where your inventory is. I am NOT going to walk back and forth around this store just because you people don't know you're jobs. If it's not up there, I am walking out leaving all this mechandise here, and you people will be out a sale!"

My thought was, good riddance, don't let the door hit yer ass on the way out. but of course, I didn't say that. Perhaps if she hadn't been up for twelve hours shopping for ten, fighting her way through the crowds, she might not have been as nasty. But eh, whatever.

I asked LJ, cutie that he was, about the Magellan GPS $100 off deal. He picked up one of the $229 models and said it's $124 for today only. I thanked him and walked off, but he was already looking past me to the next customer who was approaching him.

I got the four registers...all of which were open, and without a line! that was amazing. While they rung me up, these two girls were talking about this guy who called in one day complaining, but spoke about himself in the third person, "Jimmy bought this at Circuit City Monday. Jimmy buys a lot of stuff at Circuit City. Jimmy doesn't like buying things that don't work. Jimmy wants to speak to someone about this." the girl said it took everything she had not to say, "Jimmy? Is that you?" And as we laughed, I got my bag and left.

And even more surprising, it was an easy ride home, more traffic than normal, but nothing insane.

Maybe the Black Friday gods were looking out for me, since they know if I didn't have to work Black Friday's I'd not go out of the house at all. hell, I probably wouldn't even get up until noon.

POLT

Listening to "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas