Shopping Dent.......... or is it Vent?

                         

Most people will look like this after a night on the town.  A holiday party or otherwise.  Me?  I look like this after a day of shopping.   

Fighting traffic in the parking lot as folks think they have the right away no matter what the circumstances.  Young kids stepping on the gas to whiz around you and pull in the spot you've been waiting for.  You followed the driver from the door to their spot so you could have it and then that.  Seniors backing out of their spot with such care they cause a major traffic jam and almost take out 3 cars in the process.   

Making your way through stores stopping to check on anything that catches your eye.  Hoping you can get close enough to actually feel it, see it, find the price tag or sale sign.  Then once you decide you want it you have to look it over with a fine tooth comb to make sure it hadn't been on the floor and trampled, that it doesn't have a pull from another hanger.  Makeup from some woman who tried it on earlier.  Then the check out.  Finding one, standing in line, the second or third dose of perfume or cologne that the person behind you had to put on before they left the house.  I will leave the other odors out.   

Then, I, yes I, had a Christmas Story episode live.  My son wanted gift certificates.  Generally as a rule I will buy exactly what he puts on his list and without fail he decides to take it back.  This year he just wants to shop after the holidays.  I guess he likes the crowds!  Or maybe it's the prices, he will get more bang for his buck.  Smart boy- just like his mother.  LOL  Either way as part of his gift I did get him his certificate.  Instead of doing it for just one store I decided it best to do it for the entire mall.  This way he is not limited on choices.  We find the Customer Service center where they sell them, and I proceed to get at the end of the line.  You know after the last person who is standing at the register.  Well, no, that wouldn't be the end.  As I stood reading a sign a security guard walked over.  'Ma'am, the end of the line is over there.'  I turn to look and the line breaks and on the other side of the break is a long line of folks.  Argh!  Just my luck.  I am not behind 6 people I am behind 36!!  Thirty-six fidgety folks waiting to be serviced by one of only two workers.  People fighting on their cell phones, kids crying and crawling on the floor.  People huffing and puffing.  WTF!?!  Saturday and they have two people working??  Well, all I could think of was Ralphie and him getting in line to see Santa 'Ho Ho HO'  I saw a few of those nasty little elves too!  At least I didn't get the big boot down the slide when all was said and done.  I did, however, spend more time in that line than I had doing all my Christmas shopping to date.   

You may think I'm being a scrooge, it's not my intent.  LOL just telling you what fun I had shopping today.  I made a dent and got a few more things.  Now I pretty much just need fillers.  Stocker Stuffers and a few items for my son to open.  You know the underwear, socks, all the stuff good kids get!  My sister and I decided we won't exchange gifts until after Christmas.  We are adults and more bang for our buck, remember?  How much you want to bet she will have something under our tree for me?  Little stinker that she is.