annie hates shopping

OK, so I had to drop my van off the other day to get fixed and I had my sister in law pick me up. 

"Let's run to town and get those pictures developed", she says on the way home.

"OK", I answer thinking it will only take a few minutes.

It's no secret I hate shopping.

We go into the Pharmacy where they are having a sale on film developing.  There are 3 machines to use to pick out your photos, of course 2 of them are broken.  There is an older couple using the other one.

No big deal, how long can they possibly take to choose pictures?  5 minutes? Maybe 10?

We get the ads from the front of the store, cut out the coupon we need for the discount and return to the photo section.  The people are still there.

No big deal.

We shop around a bit.  I find a planner I was looking for and grab it.  I am ready to go.

I go back to the photo area, the people are still there.

OK, guys this is getting old.

We continue to shop, looking at overpriced nail polish, overpriced Halloween costumes and overpriced vitamins.  They did have Depend undergarments on the marked down rack.

As we round one of the corners there is a big end cap shelf with a display of girdles on it.

"Annie, look at this, I found what we need".

I walk over and read the print on one of the girdles. It reads "The biggest loser girdle".  I look at my sister in law with my usual blank stare.

"It's a show where people try to lose weight", she explains to me.

"Then why are they selling girdles"?

"Those are for the people who don't lose I guess".

We are both trying not to make a scene laughing out loud.

She puts the girdle back on the shelf.  As she rounds the corner she grabs a giant candy bar. One of those HUGE bars.  "Look Annie, they have the monster candy bars next to the girdles".

"That makes sense", I reply.

I am still trying to figure out why the show "The biggest loser" is selling girdles.

I am trying to compose myself, I don't want to be escorted out of the store, I need my pictures developed.

I wander back to the picture area.  Those damn people are still there.

"I have absolutely had enough".

"Anne, be quiet, they will hear you".

"I certainly hope so".

They never even turned around.

I grabbed my planner, threw my camera disk back into my camera and went to the car.

My sister in law followed.

I lit up a cigarette.

"OK, I have figured it out", I start talking like my Dad.

"Those old people aren't real customers and those photo machines really aren't broken.  Those old people are working for the drug store.  You walk in, see there are people using the machine and go wander around the store for a while.  You mindlessly buy overpriced crap you don't need."

"Why in the hell are the machines broken during a photo sale?"



"Oh Anne".

My pictures are still not developed, I have not written anything in the planner I bought and I am thinking I should have bought the girdle.

I know it's a retail plot, I just know it.

Talk later,

Annie