Oh how things change when you have children. There was so much I would say "I'd never" about before I had them, but now I find myself eating my words left and right.
Today was another one of those moments. I got myself up at 5 am, and if you know me you'd know just how out of character that is, and went to a store.
For a toy.
Well, actually I went to the store for two toys--the coveted LeapPad.
Did you know these suckers are sold out everywhere unless you want to pay twice (or more!) the recommended purchase price? Yeah. Apparently I decided to buy my kids one of the top toys of the year. I'm forward thinking like that, I guess.
Anyway, I got a mysterious email from TRU last night saying that they'd have limited quantities in their stores at 6 am. I figured it was worth a shot, so I went. Of course there was a line, not sure why I didn't anticipate that, for the 32 LeapPads available. (You know it is a bad sign when there is a line specifically for people buying the one thing that you want.) I hung my head, and joined the rest of the nuts waiting for a ticket to the prize.
But you could only buy one.
Clearly the poor guy sent outside to field all us desperate parents didn't understand that taking only one today would not be acceptable. He was clueless as to what it was like to have two kids who would fight like there was no tomorrow over only one...
The people in line started to plot and plan. Somehow, and I am really not sure how it happened, they managed to get their hands on enough tickets so that those of us who needed two got two tickets. It was beautiful.
I was in line with my tickets when the cranky manager tried to derail things. A woman ahead of me presented her two tickets only to have the manager proclaim she could only buy ONE LeapPad a day. He made quite the stink over it. She solved her problem by calling her husband over and having him buy one. (Which...sigh. I still don't get what the big deal was. It wasn't like she was going to buy 10 and put them on ebay. Besides, even if she did, what did he care?)
I panicked. I was alone! I had no plan B.
I went up to the cashier and gave her only one ticket. Defeated, I walked out and sat in the car.
In front of the store, the poor ticket guy was still there with two more tickets to hand out, yet no one else was around to take them...
There was no mad rush with people turned away sans what they wanted. It looked to me that everyone who wanted one could get one.
And I wanted TWO, damn it! That wasn't so much to ask! Back in the store I marched...
I got in line. Miraculously, cranky manager got called away just as I was about to go up to the register. I put my second ticket on the counter.
The cashier looked at me.
I looked at her. It was obvious she knew I had just been in line. She had helped me even.
Sensing that I needed this stupid LeapPad, or maybe because she saw the crazed look on my face--I suppose possibly she could have just not cared--she took the ticket, rang me up, and sent me on my way.
Once in the car, I did my happy dance. Success!!!
Whew, I'm so relieved.
Now I just hope they like them. Cuz, you know, it would suck if I went through so much for them to not. lol.
