The scene outside was one that screamed of impending chaos, vehicles filling every parking spot, cars circling in a fury attempting to find somewhere to go, a line that wrapped around the building more than once. Hysterical laughter filled the air.
It was 11:30 Thanksgiving night, a mere 30 minutes before the start of Black Friday at Target.
As a few of my co-workers and I filed into a side-door to the store because it was too dangerous to go through the front, we were greeted with catcalls and desperate shouts from those standing in line.
"Hey, girl!" one man shouted. "Let me in with you! Save me some deals!"
Minutes before the doors opened, my fellow co-workers and I received what can only be described as a pep-talk from our boss who outlined what was about to happen in the coming moments.
She explained that when the doors opened at midnight, we would only be allowing 30 people inside every 15 seconds. This was so shoppers could easily and safely disperse themselves throughout the store, and to prevent injuries at the door. Once customers had their purchases in hand, they would be directed to the proper end of the line, where they would then wait to be checked out.
After outlining the basic mechanics of the evening she encouraged us to have as much fun as possible, and make sure we kept people moving as quickly as we could.
Once the floodgates were opened and shoppers began to fill the store, as controlled as the situation was, it still looked entirely chaotic to me.
The first items that people went for were the flat screen televisions, packed and ready to go in shopping carts that lined the aisles.
I saw one woman dragging a television nearly the same size as her down an aisle.
Another woman, flanked by at least three other people all in matching T-shirts that shouted "Black Friday Freaks" in neon pink, raced by with carts filled.
It was certainly an experience.
CNN reported the case of a Los Angeles woman who allegedly began pepper-spraying fellow shoppers at Walmart to keep them from reaching the Xbox console she sought after. Authorities reported that at least 10 people were treated for exposure.
According to the Associated Press, Arizona police beat a man because they thought he shoplifted a video game, after the man put a video game under his shirt according to a witness.
Although we were lucky enough to not have any violence at our store, that doesn't mean that people were acting civilly.
As a cashier, I certainly had my share of people who thought I could solve whatever problem they were having.
No, I'm sorry. We can't hold this item until tomorrow because your card keeps getting declined.
Oh, you changed your mind on the sewing machine, vacuum cleaner and awkwardly shaped children's toy? Sure, I can stack them here next to me in my nice roomy, 2-by-2-foot space.
Now I'm just complaining.
I'm not saying that every customer was difficult or unruly; most were very nice and patient, which kept me from completely losing all faith in humanity.
It wasn't a completely negative experience, the constant influx of people was nice, but it was an experience that did confirm my views on the "holiday."
I had hoped that experiencing Black Friday in person would somehow change my opinion on the ordeal or make me see it in a different light
.
It didn't.
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