I Can’t Believe I Did That

It was 6:41 AM in a Home Depot lot, standing in a line up with about 25 people my age. The cold wind was blowing and the 7 degrees F and Minus 14 degrees C. IT WAS COLD – REAL COLD.

I was in the third set of people from the front. It tried to make it look like a casual stroll to the front doors… like I am not in a hurry… nice day eh?

The loud couple in front of all of us entertained with their stories of the travels to warm places… stories about making stuff for Christmas and making presents with their grandkids. The other 24 people and more people arriving just listened to the bragging and shifted from foot to foot trying to get the circulation back into their feet.

6:52 AM – surely some one inside will have mercy on these poor old people that have lined up outside for this “One Day Only Sale” at Home Depot. I pulled the scarf up around my ears that were now hurting.

6:58 AM – I am sure now that I should just go home. There is no feeling from my knees down. It is too cold to imagine what might be on the inside for me. The thought brushes through my mind – “Where will it be inside? Will I get to the right place? Are these people here for the same thing as I am?” No way I’m giving up… I was out of bed at 6:02 AM with a goal to buy one of these things and by God’s help and all my prairie experience in Cold Saskatchewan… I would see this through!!!!!

7:01 AM there came the gal to unlock the big sliding doors. The crowd now surged forward to push through the very slow opening doors. We flooded through to the next sliding doors that gave way to the pressure of cold humanity pushing inside… Some stopped to get a shopping cart. But others just rushed.

I was at the fourth position now flooding through the second set of doors and rounding the poinsettias. When I just passed the electrical aisle and the plumbing aisle, I caught the site of two men on my left side. They had quickened their pace and were now breaking into an Olympic Walk stride. They were two feet from my left back side and closing. I put my head down and matched their steps one for one. These guys had been at the back of the pack outside – at least 20 people behind me… NOW WE WERE NECK IN NECK!

I had no idea where I was going but figured that some of them did – so I “walk raced” with them past the next two aisles… and there is the opening was a pile of the thing that I wanted…. I could see that they were stacked and ready to go. There were only 15! Go figure ONLY 15 UNITS.

I got my hands on the fifth one off the pile then stepped out of the way of the rush behind me. ZAP, ZAP, ZOOM, Swish – the pile was gone. I stood off to the right side getting my breath and clutching tightly the prize that I had achieved. The “loud couple” that were in the head of the line up outside; had grabbed TWO units and stood watching as well. The signage clearly stated that there was only ONE per customer...

Another loud woman that stood to my left side exclaimed in a loud voice, “I can’t believe that they had so few!” She had got out of bed at 5:00 AM to travel a long way into the city to buy one for her son for Christmas – and she had missed the 15 Units. I looked away and clutched my prize a little tighter. The “loud couple” moved away with their two units before this “dear sister” might explode and tell on them. Their intention was clear – each would go through the separate cashiers at the front.

As I walked away I looked to the entrance of the side aisles. There stood about six Home Depot staff grinning. They had watched the “running of the Senior Bulls” at 7:02 AM and it had been good! They had stood off to the side wisely knowing that these people were coming… and they did not want to be trampled.

No one in the crowd was under 55 years old – most of us were retired.

As I headed back home with my prize beside me in the vehicle, I reached out and touched the heavy box, rubbing its smooth surface. The weight and the beautiful photos on the box made it worth it all… yes it did… and besides today is my next Craft Sale that I will sell hundreds of dollars of product and pay for this “thing”!

I walked into our house and went to the bedroom where Alida was curled up under the blankets. It was 7:22 AM and I needed to tell her of my prize. I dropped it on the bed the way a cat drops a mouse that they have caught. She rolled over and tried to focus… but no words came out. I retreated to the kitchen to open my treasure.

Later…
We arrived at the Craft Sale site at 9 AM with all our goods to set up at our table. I had paid the $10 dollar Table Fee. I had agreed to pay them 10% of my sales as well.

It was 10:00 AM and no one came. Just busy Crafters buzzing around their own tables and looking over what other people had brought. 11, 12, 1, and 2 passed. I had talked to quite a few people but sold little. Truthfully – I did sell $6 worth – three things at $2 each. At the end I gave the gals leading the sale $1 for the 10% part. So it cost me… 10 take away 6 is 4… and add 1 is $5 for 5 hours. I paid $1 an hour for the day and the privilege to smile at people that I don’t know.

But at home I had a prize and a memory that I had beat the “running of the Senior Bulls” and it was good. I can’t believe that I did it!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
BTW – If you are interested in some great gift ideas for your Christmas giving – have I got a deal for you! Just call 705-760-9389. If you come over I will let you touch the box… the beautiful box. Oh yes, Oh Yes oh yes!