Black Friday

For some reason the Friday after Thanksgiving in the States is called "Black Friday". Stores open at midnight and crowds of people who have lined up for hours storm in to take advantage of sales. At home we call this event "Midnight Madness" and various stores hold a sale like this at various times of the year. I like our title better because it is more descriptive of the mindset of shoppers willing to behave like stampeding cattle in search of dubious bargains. There were even tales today of battles between supposed adults who had the nerve to try to butt into the front of the line. Talk about taking your life in your hands!

A few years back I joined a few friends and participated in the ritual. It was pitch black out and the parking lot looked like noon on a Saturday. We lined up with all the other cattle and waited until the doors opened. People were actually jumping over other people in their frenzy to reach their purchase of choice quickly. Heaven help the small and the weak because they could well end up trampled by the wild and the greedy.

I was after a 27" T.V. on sale for $80 (as I recall) and thought there was no way there'd be any left by the time my line wove it's turtle pace in that direction. But store buyers had made sure to have lots of stock and I toted my bargain back home. The experience was too unpleasant for me to ever do it again, though.

I love to bargain shop but prefer smaller crowds and fellow shoppers who haven't reverted to uncivilized animals.