So this was my 2nd year to brave the early morning crowds and get my sleep-deprived self up at 2 a.m.(!!!) to hit Target for Black Friday. Last year I decided to see what the rave was all about and got there about 4 a.m. and was about a mile in the back of the line (for those from Beaumont, I was near the Pool place at the end of the shopping center). This year my philosophy was if I was making the effort to go and give up precious sleep (something that became a treasured commodity after having a child), I would do it right. No one seemed to believe I would go at 2 a.m. because I am known in my inner circle to hate the mornings!
My friend Tagnia was on board to go but she gasped at the prospect of getting up so early and said she would be there around 4 (wimp!) but my other friend Jamie - a Black Friday virgin - took on the challenge and said she would be at my house at 2:45 if we did corresponding wake-up calls at 2:00 a.m.
Miraculously, I was up at 2, called Jamie, and told her to hurry herself and get here because I wanted to be in line no later than 3. At 2:45 when she wasn't here, I called to harass and make sure she was en route.
We got to Target at about 5 minutes past 3:00 a.m. and the line was already to Payless. I found out there were crazy people who had slept there. I will NEVER be one of those people. We rushed into the line, secured our place with a blanket, huddled together for warmth, and waited. And waited. And...yeah...waited.
Of course, the line ahead of us began to fill up with people who had their places saved by gracious friends and loved ones. This became a real problem and there started to be rumblings from the back and shouts of "no cutting!!!!" - okay, that was me shouting, I admit.
When Tagnia wasn't there by 4, I knew, with risk of being mobbed from the angry crowd behind me, that I could not save her place anymore. Sorry, Tag :(
At about 4:45, we stood up and got our things together and were ready for the mad dash. I had emailed my blackberry the lists of the things I wanted. My list was in preferential order since it's most likely you will not get everything on your list. The managers came out, walked the line, and gave away empty bags to the first 500 (um, thanks). I asked one if there were a lot of televisions since that was my #1 list item and he told me I might as well not even try for it because they only had 37 and I was like 100 people back in the line. Jamie said I should just forget the TV and head to the camera section with her because she was becoming a little crowd-phobic.
As the line began to move, a local radio station started passing out donuts and Jamie said "forget the do-nut, let's go"....oh, now you're in a hurry, when there is free food! With hand extended, I grabbed a do-nut and never lost a step in line.
The door was manned by what seemed like 100 Target employees who watched for line-jumpers (there was a whole group of people who stood near the door and tried to ease in the line - we were not having that!).
Once in the store, I grabbed a basket, turned towards where the camera display was, and quickly reversed directions and tried for the TV. I was not going to make all that effort without even trying. I got to the TVs which were located in the women's clothes and there were like 10 left! A woman in front of me shouted "I want 6 TV's" so I shouted "I want one TV, please" - hopefully courtesy would work, and it did. A great employee put a box in my cart and my early morning trip was officially worth it.
I called Jamie on my cell (modern day walkie talkies) and determined her position and was happy that she was able to get a camera for both of us. So far, my #1 and #2 items were a success!
The next thing on my list was a steam mop that was discounted half off. I found the display and was able to get one of the last ones. Right across from that section was a display of sheets. Lots of people were over there so I figured it was a good deal. It was...they had 1000 thread count King Sheets for $30. I reached my hand out for one, grabbed the corner, and all of a sudden, they were snatched from me by a woman in my back. I turned and saw she had a basket full of nothing but the sheets. I was in shock! I'm all about the confrontation, but in the moment, I just stood there in silence and watched her scurry away. Wow...Merry Christmas.
I met up with Jamie and Tagnia and we were all pretty happy with our purchases. After we battled the lines that looked like everyday at Beaumont Wal-Mart, we were out and hit Starbucks, Kohl's and Bealls. I wanted to go to more places but my body was shut down.
When I got home, I felt like I had worked a full day and it was barely 10 a.m. Shopping is hard!
Let me know if you want to join my Black Friday posse next year. With all of my sistas beside me, we can take sheet lady if she shows her face again!
Kari
