Shopping on black Friday December 2nd 2024 502 words

I am not a shopper. If I have a item I need, I open my I Pad and search Amazon for the item. I can ask my smart devise to search for suggestions. If I find what I want, I can ask the A lady to buy it. But this past Friday, With a light snow falling the lure of the mall was hard to resist.
At first, we were out for a drive to check out the local grocery store. We needed milk, bread and juice. The parking lot was not over crowded. We moved around the store with little difficulty.
Driving down 28th street, the main thoroughfare, we noted that Chick fil A was filled with customers trying to get a late lunch. We were not hungry so continued to the mall to check the stores.
The first stop was Kohl’s. We had been there earlier in the week. At that time, the store was filled with so much merchandise that getting down the aisles was difficult. On Friday, the aisles were filled with people and carts filled with sale items. The checkout lines extended to the back of the store and around the corner. Customers were smiling and patiently waiting for a cashier.
Leaving Kohl’s, we crossed to the mall.
The sound of the crowds created a cacophony of crying, laughter and music with an occasional phrase of greeting.
“Hey!”
“Love the color.”
Where did you get the phone?”
“Wa!”
The Center court area sported a 15 foot polar bear greeting visitors to Santa. One boy waited patiently for his turn to sit on Santa’s lap.
Every store we passed was filled with people buying gifts and bargains. John and I walked arm and arm into the fray. Most people saw my white cane a veered from our path. The exception was teens. One girl in a rush to get around, kicked my cane, She mumbled an apology as she hurried past. Several older male teens, strolled towards us. At the last second one realized that we weren’t getting out of his way and stopped holding his friends back.
Even the food court was buzzing with chair scraping and conversation. The man at the charity kettle had to help me get my money into the full money holder.
The number people warmed up the mall to a toasty temperature. Still in my winter coat, I was sweating. After buying some Christmas candy corn, we headed for the nearest exit.
Cold air and silence followed us to our car. After 15 minutes, we had snaked our way out of the parking lot.
A drive turned into a two hour walk. I had my exercise for the day. For the rest of this season, I will stick to online shopping.
** poem
Shopping
Shopping days, only 17 days to go
Hurry with laden parcels
out into the cold
What to get, where’s my list?
Do we have enough?
Pause, I remember
It’s not about the stuff.
carolaspot@aol.com copyrighted 12/2/24