The Rogue Speaks:
I awoke this morning to news of all the badness Black Friday brought to many people. A woman pepper sprayed shoppers who were waiting for the table of goods she was guarding to be uncovered. In other stories, people were trampled, and some were robbed of their purchases. A grandfather in Phoenix was beaten by police because they thought he was trying to steal a video game when he tucked it into his waistband to free his hands to help his grandson. Other shoppers were horrified and jumped to his defense. The Christmas season?? Come on, people! Is all this "stuff" that important?? Is THIS the spirit of Christmas you want your children to learn?
Many employees were angered upon learning that they were expected to be at work at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Many of them missed Thanksgiving dinner with their families because they needed to catch some sleep before going to work at night.
Other workers, like little Michelle, ended their day so totally exhausted, that their brains were completely numb. The following is Michelle's story. Remember that we have a limit of 100 words and the prompt is in bold type.
The Black Friday Thief
Black Friday was winding down. The Burger Barn had been crammed with customers and Michelle’s feet were screaming. So many orders! Her fingers were sore from working the register, and her head was swimming.
“Hey! Wake up!” a voice whispered loudly, and Michelle saw a scruffy man in a wool cap standing there. He had a gun, and was pointing it at her. “Empty the register!” he demanded.
Michelle, her brain foggy from the long day, did as he said, and stuffed the day’s receipts into a burger bag.
“Would you like fries with that?” she asked, in a stupor.
Now head over to Jenny's Saturday Centus to read more offerings. You may even write one of your own! I'll be waiting to see it!!
24 comments:
You hooked me with that sneaky little segue!! Great Sat Centus! And I agree on the shopping madness...that's exactly what it is: Madness.
he probably took it too, the greed boggles my mind
That was a surprise!
I watched the news, in horror,last night as scenes from the shopping madness were shown. This year, for the first time, Canadian retailers have been advertising Black Friday, although we don't have the holiday before as the excuse. It's all an effort to keep people from driving south of the border to catch the sales. I will stay far, far away, preferring to do my shopping without the madness.
That is a GREAT story, Judie.
And your points are so well taken with Black Friday. I am really not into that scene at all.
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There should be a law to stop this black friday shopping madness since so many people are hurt every year!
Great Saturday Centus!
I loved how you weaved this story. So unexpected. I saw a woman on a video that was in a big group grabbing $2 waffle makers. She was heavy and her pants were falling down and exposing her butt crack. I hope she saw herself on the Internet to see how goofy she looked just for a bargain, ha.
Greed is something we haven't learnt to subdue as your centus and words show. As good as ever... poor Michelle, tomorrow morning brings blacker Saturday
This was excellemt Judie. My daughter and I finished Christmas shoppimg last month. I was sprawled out on the couch watching all the Black Friday hoopla unfold on TV. You are 100% correct. None of that stuff is worth A.) Losing your life over it, B.) Waiting in a long line to save a few dollars, C.) Dealing with the traffic, and D.) Dealing with rude people.~Ames
The whole concept is distasteful to me, as I am sure it is to all of us who enjoy the spirit of the holidays. This is a time of the year for strengthening relationships, not buying them. Terrific post!
Judye, This wonderfully twisted SC is spot on. Black Friday, like so much of our life, has morphed into a monster that steals, hurts, robs, and sometimes kills.
Hope you TDay was great!
Namaste..........cj
BLAH HUMBUGGER!!! And you have Christmas music blaring at me already!!
Mwahahaha...loved your take on Jenny's fun.
You are so good, Judie. This post was spot-on. I can't stand the Black Friday madness and spend the time sleeping in. I loved the ending to this piece.
Chocolate kisses to you!
xoRobyn
Great take on the prompt! I'm so irritated by the whole Black Friday thing. Every year it gets worse. It's the worst of what the holiday season has to offer, in my mind...greed all the way around, both on the part of retailers AND consumers. Ugh.
Loved your story for the prompt Judie! What in the wide, wide, world of thought-process are people doing while shopping? What a sad commentary on our society that it has come to pepper-spraying each other in order to get a good deal. The ironic part of this is that as it gets closer to Christmas, the deals are far better than on Black Friday. And you don't need to fear for your life. Happy?Holidays.
This Judie is priceless! I can so see this happening too...and then when he didn't answer but offered a puzzled response, she probably went as far as to say "and have a great day Sir!" ..as sales clerks are so programmed to say! Very cool .....!
Awww...! Loved the ending! Though I'm just jaded enough that I am sure he took those fries, too, like the Grinch.
Black Friday and Cyber Mondays are the ultimate in shopping cons! Great Story Judie. You are crazy inventive!
Black Fridays, Cyber Mondays, and Thirsty Thursdays? C'mon, Judie, let's grab a drink and forget shopping!
Believe me, I am all for it! I did a lot of my holiday shopping at the reception for the Guild exhibit at the Sheraton. We had some fine crafters there for the evening, and I just could not resist their art, or their prices!!! So I am leaving the more mundane gifts up to Rod--he's much better at the mundane than I am.
I do like your writing but the Black Friday stuff is ridiculous. First of all who really gets any great bargain??? I was in a store and heard a couple arguing Sunday when I was out for a little stroll alone! Why buy gifts that people wont appreciate?! We are doing our Secret Santa this year. 10 of us, one gift. No one has any money this year. We are just all grateful to be working. I am glad we raised our kids not to be greedy and obnoxious. I am glad they are all paying their college tuition and helping out at home. Our youngest is the only one who stuck with his running and may get a scholarship. But the three in college work hard and get good grades and work so support themselves. I am sickened by people that throw money away for things their kids don;t even care about! Argh....I am glad I was raised the way I was where my parents taught kindness and honesty and respect of others.
Greta post!
Oh Judy, what a great little tale you have spun ... and I couldn't believe the greed when i saw the news ... how pathetic society is becoming ... that we are willing to hurt others just to satisfy our need for stuff ... not or finest hour ....
The people who are elbowing and pepper-spaying to seal a deal are not blogging. I'm not shopping. Period. I'm skipping the season entirely, other than helping out a few less blessed. And a creative and astute response to the prompt, Judie!
Great story, Judie, in so few words.
Black Friday is madness. I don't participate, ever. My daughter did it this year, just to say she experienced it. Suffice to say, she too, has sworn off Black Friday forever.
My brother works in retail, he always has. He rarely spends a Thanksgiving at home. This year was no exception. In fact, this part of the year his family sees very little of him. What has happened to our culture, that our holiest of times has just become crass commercialization? It is a sad thing, that's for sure.
I've never done black Friday, I never WILL do black Friday.
I despise the animalistic qualities it seems to bring out in people...
All in the quest to buy more stuff from China and make the kids feel even more entitled.
Geez.
No, I'm not sick of our society.
Why do you ask?
This was awesome Judie.
And sadly, so true.
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