Problems of being literate in an illiterate society, vol. 1

Se we went to the Mall yesterday...who didn't?

I got slippers for Christmas, which I really needed, but didn't get my robe and jammies that I wanted so I found what I was looking for at Sears. SIDEBAR: You know, Sears has been really coming through for me lately. I wonder why that is. They have some cute stuff, even in junior sizes when the mrs. stuff is too baggy, and they're fair price-wise. Okay...back to the story. Then I was standing in line behind the little sign that said: Purchases to the right, Returns to the left. I was on the right with K, my daughter. There was one checker and all these other people lined up where there was no established sign or line. When the checker announced she was only taking people from the line I was in, all those who had not read or chosen to ignore that sign came in and crowded IN FRONT of those of us who had CORRECTLY read the signs and, when I protested, said they had been in line longer than we had, anyway. Blood boiling and yet not wanting to set a really great example of how to tear someone apart in public to my 4 year old, I stormed away, throwing my purchase back on a rack as I left. Then I turned around and yelled down the aisle: "AT LEAST WE WERE ACTUALLY STANDING IN A LINE. IF YOU KNEW HOW TO READ A SIGN, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN IN LINE, TOO."

I ended up going back an hour or so later and buying the robe and jammies at 50%. And I didn't have to stand in line for more than 3 minutes.

The time to go shopping on the Day After Christmas is definitely in the late afternoon to evening. Sure, things can be picked over if you are looking for great deals on Christmas ornaments and the like, but judging from the looks of every single Christmas ornament department I saw, with broken glass all over the floor, crushed by nonobservant and rushed feet, I don't think I would have wanted to be in the middle of the entire fiasco. Plus, when you know what you're looking for, there is absolutely no need to show up at 6 a.m.--chances are they didn't have it to begin with, anyway.

So that's that. No more shopping for me this week. Perhaps a trip to Target to get kids' photos taken. One of these days I'll get my 17 month old's pics done. It's so much easier once they're in school...