So, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m originally from Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised until I was 15 years-old and then I moved to South Carolina about 6 years ago, and I am still very much adjusting to the move. 6 months from graduating college by the age of 22 and all. Anyways, I went to the Big Apple during Thanksgiving break to see to my mother, aunt and uncle who still live up there (I moved with my grandma).
Next to seeing my family, one of my biggest reasons of going to New York was to go shopping on Black Friday. I recently just started going shopping on this dangerous “holiday” because I finally had my own money and didn’t have to beg either one of my parents to help a sister out. However, this was an even more special moment because it was also my first time going Black Friday shopping which I imagined would be even more exhilarating than going in a small town mall in the boondocks of South Carolina.
The cold week in New York was worth it because I got to see some of the people I love the most and got to eat from favorite breakfast sandwich (bacon,egg & cheese on a roll) and a slice of a good ole Brooklyn pizza. I was relaxed and had no worries; I helped cook Thanksgiving dinner for the first time and I did some work (unfortunately).
I was headstrong on going shopping because Old Navy was having a sale of up to 50% on everything and they had $1 cozy socks. I also wanted to go to PINK to get a new sherpa because ya girl loves her some cozy material.
I went with my aunt who was suffering from a little cold but was also very stubborn in the head and loved shopping. So to accommodate both of our needs and wants, we took an Uber to Downtown Brooklyn, to go to Atlantic Terminal Mall near the Barclays Center. Our first stop was of course Old Navy and I swear I almost gasped my lungs through my esophagus because of how many people were in the store. The store seemed big but I was not understanding how it was fitting all of those people.
I had to realize that wasn’t the point and I needed to focus.
As you know, I did not stick to my original plan of just getting cozy socks from Old Navy and then heading to PINK to sell my soul once again because the spirits trapped in the walls of the store reeled me in the buy more. They even rudely had shopping carts to help with the loads of clothes that were piling in my arm.
I was crying and hoping someone would drag the shopping demons out of me until the fluffiest sherpa caught my eye. What was I going to do? Buy it? Hell yeah I did, after price checking it, it came out to be $3 cheaper than the one at PINK ($22.95 vs $25.95).
After saying excuse me about 20 times more than I usually do, seeing someone I hadn’t seen in over 6 years, losing my aunt twice and deciding if I wanted to go broke in this god forsaken store, I finally left with my integrity and a pretty fluffy sherpa, some new pajamas, a pair of fluffy slippers, some cute baby clothes for my nephew and some cozy socks. I was satisfied. It’s as if I felt my soul settle.
Leaving the mall, however, was the worst part. My ears are still ringing from the screaming Bath and Body Works employee yelling about an ongoing sale while jingling bells.
Never again though, never ever ever ever ever again.