With a mug of coffee to keep me alert and Harry Potter to pass the time, I perched myself on the sidewalk outside of Old Navy at 9:30 PM.
The doors were set to open at midnight, and I had gotten a tip that the first 48 insane Black Friday shoppers in line would receive a FREE Kodak EasyShare (waterproof) digital camera.
The first hour was uneventful. I engaged in casual conversation with others in line, sipped my coffee and read a chapter or two.
Around 11, more and more people began to show up, some going to the back of the line, others CUTTING when they found people in line that they knew.
My anxiety went up a few notches. What if I got bumped so far back in line that I didn’t get one of the magical 48 wristbands required for a camera?
I asked a new line-friend to save my spot so I could recount how far back we were.
1, 2, 3…36. I could live with 36.
Then three more people decided to jump the line, and a near riot almost broke out.
“EXCUSE ME? ARE YOU SOCIALIZING OR ARE YOU PLANNING ON SHOPPING?” I heard a voice yell from the back of the line.
The line-jumper stuck her hand to her hip and hollered, “I haven’t decided yet.”
Ohh heck no.
Keeping my mouth closed was hard, but I managed to stay classy. For the time being.
Soon the Old Navy employees came outside and started handing out wristbands to it’s loyal shoppers. When it came to the line-jumper, who was standing right in front of me, to receive “her” band, a woman from the back of the line came up.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but could you not give her a wristband? She cut in front of all these people.”
The woman who cut looked appalled, like, “I can’t believe you just told on me.”
“I was here,” she lied.
I couldn’t.
“Um, no you weren’t,” I said, with so much attitude I could hardly believe it was me.
“Fine, then don’t give me a stupid wristband,” she said, and the employee passed her and attached one to my wrist.
“Oh, look at my wrist! NO BAND! Are ya’ll happy?” she asked, waving her wrists IN OUR FACES.
If ever I’ve wanted to punch someone, it was that moment.
“Yep, because we got ours,” I said, and then re-opened Harry Potter.
When the doors opened, I dashed inside to get my $40 worth of merchandise—two shirts and a pair of pants.
During the 2-hour wait in line to check out, I was the lucky winner of a “Save $1 on your purchase!” card and finished four chapters of HP.
And then this happened: as I stood at the register, I realized my wristband had fallen off. I panicked. I searched the sleeves of my jacket, all of the clothes, and shook out my book. It was nowhere.
“Ok, you don’t have to believe me, but I promise that I waited outside for a wristband for like two hours and I think it fell off or something because I can’t find it,” I cried to the woman at the cash register.
“Your in luck,” she said. “The company sent us 49 cameras instead of 48, so I’ll give you one.”
A wave of relief washed over me. I hadn’t waited for two hours in line for no reason!
And at 3:00 AM, I crawled into my warm bed, another successful year of Black Friday shopping completed.
I am
and my camera is blue and shiny. Ooo, ahh.
and 2 weeks till it’s dunzo. I cannot wait. 
