Standing among roughly five hundred strangers, we had maneuvered
our way to the front of the mountain of Xbox gaming systems. Wrapped tightly in
plastic were approximately three-hundred of these highly sought after gifts,
and I was determined to get one. I was a mother on a mission! I placed my hand
(as did two-hundred other shoppers) on the wrapped pile. Pressed against me was
an enormous “Paul Bunyan” of a man complete with a full beard and flannel shirt
who flashed me a look of “don’t even think about it.” I was surrounded by
crazies, and we all had a common goal: to walk away with treasure. And then it
happened. It was like an out-of-body experience. The Walmart employee blew a
whistle, and it was like I was being thrown to the wolves. Plastic wrapping was
being shredded and thrown everywhere. There was a moment where I was blinded by
a scrap of plastic wrap that was drawn to the static in my hair and briefly
covered my eyes. But I never let go of that gaming system box. I could feel it
under my grip the entire time, but as I began to pull the box towards my body,
I felt a tug. Using my lower lip to fiercely blow the plastic away from my face,
I stared straight into the eyes of “a woman scorned.” She looked to be older
than I and certainly more frail. She was no match for my big boned body. I had
this. I pulled the gaming system towards me, and she fiercely pulled on the
other end. I furrowed my brow, “Excuse me! I had this first!” Never taking her
eyes off me, she was now violently attempting to wrench my prize from my hands
as she screamed, “Give it to me!” I was stunned. The decibel of her screech
reached ear piercing levels. The force of her tug caused me to stumble a bit,
but I never lost my grip. This lady was serious. But so was I. Without letting
go, I slid my hand up the box to gain a better hold and I tugged with all my
might, causing the woman to lunge forward. Suddenly, I felt incredible pain. My
face stung, and the force of the blow caused me to wince, closing my eyes for
what seemed like eternity. I felt the box sliding from my grasp, and yet I was
too shocked to really care. Slowly opening my eyes, I could feel a warm trickle
above my upper lip. Instinctively, I touched my face. Holding my hand in front
of me, I blinked several times; blood? I was bleeding. I looked up, and the
woman was standing over me. With one last dirty look, she turned and walked
away. I just sat there. My head was reeling. I had been punched! As I watched
the woman walk away, I noticed that she was not holding the box. Her arms were
empty, and she walked away defeated. But I didn’t have the box either. Had a
third someone swooped in and stolen my prize? Confused, I began to stand up,
looking around for my husband. Why was he not by my side right now, comforting
me, offering me the corner of his shirt to wipe my bloody nose? I had been
“wounded in action!”
My husband was nowhere to be found. I stood, looking in every
direction and then I remembered our plan had we been separated. Trampled and
worn, I slowly made my way towards the center of the store. As I looked up, it
was as if I heard the angels sing as the light of Heaven was beaming down.
There stood my husband, six foot four, bundled in a “mossy oak” Cabelas coat,
arms stretched around an Xbox 360 gaming system! My hero had swooped in as I
lay on the cold, concrete floor of Walmart Super Center, grabbed the gift, and
had run for the touchdown!
Our story and the stories of Black Friday shoppers everywhere,
fighting and trampling their way to the holy grails of Christmas gifts, have given
Black Friday sales a well-deserved black eye!
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