Black Friday
Until yesterday, I never understood the term “Black Friday” to describe the day after Thanksgiving shopping day; it seemed weird to associate the number one retail hell occasion with the traditional term for stock market crash of 1929. But my friend, David Latourell, pointed out that the “black” is for “in the black;” today’s the day when retailers will or won’t get out of the red for the entire holiday season.
But then, I’ve never understood the impulse to go out and shop today, either. Why in the world would anyone want to drive to a shopping mall—especially at 4:00 in the morning when it first opens—just to fight massive crowds of people all vying for a cheaper price on a computerized “Tickle Me Elmo” doll or a toaster oven that you can slip your iPod into so your bagels are browned in time to the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black?”
I guess I can see why—if you’ve got your whole family cooped up in the house trying to digest yesterday’s big meal—you’d want to get out and do something, but why shop? Wouldn’t it be safer to take the crew to a movie or something, especially one next to a bar so dad could have the shot of whiskey he needs to make it through the latest offering from Disney?
I’m hoping to get Mimi up and out to go on today’s “Hot Stuff Cargo Bike Ride.” We can hook the trailer up to the tandem and drag along a cooler of beer and soda or maybe our little Weber gas grill to cook up some gardenburgers and fake bacon. (Unfortunately, though, at this point, neither of us can bear the thought of eating anything in the wake of yesterday’s over-the-top feasting, so maybe we’ll just put some Brioschi in a bike bag and roll that way.)
In any case, we’re steering clear of all shopping malls; when it comes to Black Friday, I’m totally yellow.
But then, I’ve never understood the impulse to go out and shop today, either. Why in the world would anyone want to drive to a shopping mall—especially at 4:00 in the morning when it first opens—just to fight massive crowds of people all vying for a cheaper price on a computerized “Tickle Me Elmo” doll or a toaster oven that you can slip your iPod into so your bagels are browned in time to the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black?”
I guess I can see why—if you’ve got your whole family cooped up in the house trying to digest yesterday’s big meal—you’d want to get out and do something, but why shop? Wouldn’t it be safer to take the crew to a movie or something, especially one next to a bar so dad could have the shot of whiskey he needs to make it through the latest offering from Disney?
I’m hoping to get Mimi up and out to go on today’s “Hot Stuff Cargo Bike Ride.” We can hook the trailer up to the tandem and drag along a cooler of beer and soda or maybe our little Weber gas grill to cook up some gardenburgers and fake bacon. (Unfortunately, though, at this point, neither of us can bear the thought of eating anything in the wake of yesterday’s over-the-top feasting, so maybe we’ll just put some Brioschi in a bike bag and roll that way.)
In any case, we’re steering clear of all shopping malls; when it comes to Black Friday, I’m totally yellow.
posted by Professor Dave at 10:34 AM
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