You
know one of the nice things about Christmas time is the way it can open
up new experiences. Case in point the husband shopper. Leslie and
Christmas shopping have always been a precarious dance. The fancy cat
toilet incident of a few years back is still talked about worldwide.
Rule #1 is never begin your shopping before 5 days prior to Christmas.
There must be something about the heart racing thrill of the hunt that
comes with being under the gun. I must assume part of the blame because
I am not good about giving him ideas. Early in our relationship he
bought me clothes for Christmas. They were 2 or 3 sizes too large, he
knew they were too big but he loved the colors and thought they would
look nice on me regardless if they fit or not. You have to love a man
that thinks that way.
Yesterday
he announced to me that he had discovered a new store...T.J. Maxx. He
just happened to walk into it to investigate. Now this is a farmer that
shops throughout the year at the hardware and Rural King. I am sure
there was some kind of alarm triggered when he stepped through the door.
He said "That is really some store. They have all kinds of things in
there" as if I had spent the last years of my life cloistered on the
moon. I am thinking, "I bet he was overwhelmed by the fact that there
were no bins of bolts or rolls of roller chain." He seemed excited
about what he purchased so I can only hope that I can show the same
excitement as well when I unwrap it. He said "they gave me a first time
discount and all kinds of savings!" How did that sales clerk know this
was his first venture into the world of T.J. Maxx? One can only
speculate from the wide eyed expression underneath him John Deere cap
was an indication. I just hope this taste will not turn him into a
shopaholic. I can see him fighting me for the sale ads to see the
latest sales on housewares. The next thing I know he will be
accumulating a stash of Kohl's cash.
What
if he turns his farming buddies onto this? They will be texting each
other sharing the coup they scored with a 20% off sale. I foresee long
winter days with the local crowd sitting in the shop talking herbicides
and clipping coupons for Marshalls. I just hope next year at this time
I won't be writing about holding an intervention cutting up credit
cards and prying the white sale flyers out of their hands. Opening up
new horizons does have it's responsibilities. I only hope I am up to
the task.
