Holiday Shopping

We are a buyer’s nation. Probably invented the concept of marketing but, like an unruly child, this gets out of hand every so often...

... and the holidays are just the perfect season for this to happen, since it is the time when most people will, greatly aided by sales and marketing folk, let go of any amount of money (whether needed for something else or not…) in order to “give great presents” which, for the most part, will probably be forgotten after a while.

I spent some “quality” time at a major mall a couple of days ago. My wife had a hair/nail/etc. appointment and after dropping her off, my car (yes, by itself!!) took me over to the nearby mall, a fairly good size and well established buying center. There being not much money in my cards or, for that matter in my wallet, my time was spent looking around at all the goodies which were being offered (especially in the electronics world, today’s starchild of the gifting universe)… fascinating stuff; even when you know the item(s) will become practically obsolete within 6 months of purchase time… a self perpetuating line of products, if there is any.

After a while, I became pretty bored with the whole thing and went for a double tall latte… otherwise known as coffee and cream with a bit of foam on top… but if the plebeian name were to be used, it would only fetch half the money being charged… Since there were no seats available at the shop (it was Saturday afternoon and you could barely walk in the mall) I went out to the main hall and looked for an available seat, where I could relax and enjoy my barista’s creation…

Once seated, the main attraction of the afternoon actually started… people walking by… there were all sorts, sizes, shapes and colors… younger ones, middle aged ones and older ones, who probably came along for the ride... and most likely were regretting this decision by now. The dress code was universal funky; from well dressed to eclectically attired, to barely dressed. Being already past 3 in the afternoon, most of these folk had already spent a good part of the day at the mall and their faces showed it…

Many of them were from overseas (dress and language giving many hints to that effect) and they were loaded with packages… the husband looking bedraggled, questioning his own sanity and wishing he were anywhere but in this jungle, while the wife and children were looking for the next store to attack.

At one point, one of these soon to be extinguished species plopped (literally) down on the seat next to mine with his 5 (approx) year old boy hanging on to him, like little monkeys hang from their mothers in the jungle. The boy’s carriage was being occupied by a load of packages from different stores and, as it sat parked in front of them, with a leg over the wheels for protection, they both promptly fell into a slumber… either one as tired and fed up as the other with this whole thing…

And where were the ladies of this group? Going through the offerings of yet one more store… After a good while, his reverie was interrupted by his young daughter who came running out of the store to get him…

-“DAD!!! .. HOW COULD YOU???? ... WAKE UP!!! ... come inside… mom is ready to pay” … With an audible sigh he woke up his son, slowly got up and carted the carriage into the new store and, as he shuffled in, he was  looking for his wallet and the –by now- equally worn out cards, while making room for the new packages to be added.

As each person walked by pushing, pulling or carrying their packages, whether with a smile, a frown or just that bored-to-death look in their faces, there was a story to tell and I, dutifully, continued to make up these stories for my own entertainment…

And, of course, in the midst of what was becoming a very juicy tidbit of a tale, my phone rang and I was summoned to pick up my wife at the hair and nail shop…

Holiday shopping… definitely not a bargain!!

Be Well … Be Back!!!

Final Notes:

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