My Black Friday

I think the people who get up at 1 a.m. to stand in line at WM, or any other store for that matter, on Black Friday are silly. It was just 25 degrees are I drove to work this morning. I was bundled in my winter coat (which doesn't fit... those darn 20 lbs!), a fleece, hat and gloves, the WM uniform buried somewhere underneath.

As I pull up I see the cars in the parking lot. It's not full like in years past, but there are a number of cars anyway. Then I see the people lined up waiting to get inside. Some are dressed appropriately for standing outside for four hours, others were just silly standing there in thin sweatshirts. Some people had blankets.

It was, of course, already busy inside when I got to work. There were no customers yet, but there was lots still to do to get ready for open. I wanted coffee, but feared my break would come later than I would want and I'd have to pee so bad and not be able to get a break that I'd wet my pants. No coffee for sleepy me.

About a half hour after I arrive, we're all lined up looking at the doors, ready to watch the crazy pepole run inside. And the doors open and they start running, all making a beeline for the Electronics department. We cheered the first few people in and watched them run to their destination.

My first customer spent $700 like it was nothing. The little old man being served behind me blew through $2,500. Both purchases were on flat screen tvs. My smallest purchase of the day was $5.25 by a woman who purchased a box of matchbox cars for her grandson. We didn't have the other item she was looking for. Sold out. But she came at 7. When the store opens at 5 with a line don't excpet the hot item to still be around two hours later.

I watched lots of deals run by. Kids clothing sets on sale for just $4. My kids currently aren't in need of winter clothing, but I still can recognize a good deal when I see one. Winter coats for $8 for kids. Winter coats for adults for $8 just about sold out by the time I left. The remaining ones were lime green and size XL.

People were still spending, but many admit to not spending as much as in previous years. It's a hard hit for retail stores, but in many ways it's good. We don't NEED half of the junk we have and there are many worthy causes that could use a helping hand right now. In Maine, as I am sure it is in other parts of the U.S., food pantires are in dire need of donations. This state ranks fifth in the nation for as a hungry state. The Press Herald had this article a few days ago.

At 9:30 a.m., my day was done and I stopped by Dunkin Donuts on the way home to get a coffee. I really, really needed it to make it through the day. Not to mention, it helped to warm me up because it was still cold outside and sleeting.

When I got home Adam and I traded places. He's still at work and I'm now with the kids. I am so ready for bed, but I don't think Ryan is at all. I'm hoping I can trick him into a 7:30 bedtime, but I'm not holding my breath.