It was a Saturday morning and the plan had already been set in place. My husband needed new shoes for winter. The last pair had been purchased online, but sometimes things just have to be done in person and hands on.
Having rarely been a coupon shopper, this adventure was going to be different. Not only were there coupons involved, but a rebate card had showed up in the mail a few days before. It was only for $5, but hey, five dollars is five dollars. Those rebates have always been a pain, why not just take the money off the original purchase? It would save time, postage and the waiting, but my opinion has never been garnered for that particular topic.
The plan was to go to the store and pick out the shoes, but not purchase them. See, there was another coupon involved. One that guaranteed, while supplies lasted, the lucky shopper a brand new overnight bag. Not sure where I might actually go and spend the night, I still needed that bag. This store had done this promotion before, but alas, I had waited too long to participate in the free bag frenzy because they were all gone the day I presented my coupon.
Plus, another coupon had arrived from this store that gave an extra 20% off the purchase. The only drawback was the date on the coupons, they were not valid until Monday.
We chose to drive the beltway to the store, just to see if it was quicker. It always amazes me the people who would rather do that than drive through the city. The usual comment is that it takes too much time to do the latter. The drive took about 25 minutes and we went in to look for the shoes. After narrowing it down to two pairs, with one being a favorite, I strategically placed the shoe boxes back into the stack. Then we left. Seriously, I didn't even look at a pair for myself.
Monday morning came and the plan was to be there when the store opened. I drove through the city and arrived in 15 minutes, totally blowing the drive around on the beltway theory out the window. Being early, I watched people putting up decorations and sales banners for the upcoming holidays. When the stroke of the second hand marked the magic opening hour, I hopped out of the car and stood in line with two other people. This shopping experience was going to be epic. I imagined myself making that cool 'I'm the boss' sign with my arms, although my grandchildren get hysterical when I do, because I always do it wrong.
The door opened and I made my way to the men's isle, hoping the shoes were still there and someone did not need that size 10. There they were, exactly where I had placed them. Victory was mine.
At the checkout, I presented my 20% off coupon, and my rebate card. Then, I whipped out the free overnight bag coupon and asked if they were still available. The young shoe associate giggled and told me yes, and I was the very first person to get one. Bargain shopper extraordinaire would be carved upon my headstone. When I got back in the car, five minutes had passed, I was on fire.
As I drove back through the city, my mind wandered to a place that had lain dormant in my memory files for a really long time. It was a trip that Mother, Dad and I had taken on a Saturday. There was a huge warehouse, across the river from where we lived, that was full of shoes. When we arrived, Dad stayed in the car to people-watch and Mother and I went in. It was my first indoctrination to a shoe warehouse, it seemed there were shoes as far as the eye could see. Mother could out-shop the best of shoppers and it wasn't too long before I joined Dad in the car. As we people-watched together, he told me something I have never forgotten. He said that the expressions on the women's faces, when they opened the door, must be what it's like for them to go to Heaven....and the first door they come to is a shoe store. He just might have been right.
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