Black Friday Crush
Trifecta Challenge: 33 to 333 words featuring the word Anticipation: a : visualization of a future event or state b : an object or form that anticipates a later type
Image from villagevoice.com
David glanced at the clock. Five more minutes. He leaned against a washing machine, crossed his arms and looked at the horde of consumers pressed against the door. It was the same every year. Two years ago, a five-year-old had been trampled. Nobody in that mob gave a passing thought to that little boy now. They just wanted to get inside to save up to 50% off televisions and toasters they didn’t need. Most of the people probably weren’t even buying Christmas presents.
He wondered what it is about people that requires them to have the biggest, brightest, flashiest, newest whatever. What is it about Americans that makes them think it’s alright to spend Thanksgiving in a tent in a parking lot just to buy something that isn’t even necessary in a survival of the fittest sort of way? If David was honest with himself, it disgusted him, but he had learned to let that go. His job was to sell those toasters and televisions while incurring the fewest fatalities possible.
Two minutes. People were beginning to crush the front with the anticipation of the doors opening. The safety glass, which had replaced real glass after the masses had actually pushed right through it last year, was beginning to bow with the weight.
David and Neil, the assistant manager, attached themselves to safety harnesses. David glanced at Neil, who nodded assent. At a count of three, David turned the key and Neil opened the door. A swarm of humanity buzzed around them, shoving them out of the way. David just hoped that nobody died this year. The store didn’t need any more bad press.
10 Responses to “Black Friday Crush”
Oh, man. This is why I don’t do Black Fridays. I never even heard of Black Friday until we moved out of the small town we lived in. I was better having not known.
Probably very true. It really is a disgusting event. People die for this?
That picture – yikes! Your descriptions of the crushing masses actually made it hard for me to breathe. I can’t stand crowds! That safety harness was a little disturbing (at least the fact that such a thing is necessary for retail…sad that shopping is a contact sport.)
I made up the safety harness bit for added drama. Retail workers probably don’t actually use safety harnesses on Black Friday. They probably should though.
I can’t stand crowds either, which is why you won’t find me within a hundred yards of a store that day.
Great job capturing the truth of black Friday.
Thank you.
I have had these very thoughts several times in recent years. What could POSSIBLY be on sale that makes up for people getting trampled to death?
Seriously. I have no idea why people would be willing to risk their lives for a couple of bucks.
The safety harness was a total clincher!
Was the little foray into the present tense intentional?
Safety harness! Geez, and I though police presence and florescent safety vests in this year’s Walmart youtube videos were bad o__O