A couple of old men, Taz and SR, manned up to help the Salvation Army on Black Friday this year, only my second experience, ever, venturing out among the hordes of shoppers on this busiest shopping day of the year. We were under the supervision of Sharon who provided her bell ringing expertise and unique ability to relate to the little shoppers as they proudly ante-upped for the benefit of the less fortunate. How was it, you ask?
It was cold, with a sharp north wind to keep folks on the move. Generally, there were slightly fewer contributors, with significantly larger donations this year. We suspect the time of day, 9:00 AM, may have had something to do with the response of folks, who reminded me of the crushing crowds at a State Fair concert many years ago. Folks were on their best behavior and seasons greetings flowed like warm maple syrup. The demographics of our contributors was interesting with folks who appeared to be less economically advantaged again outspending the Lexus crowd significantly. I have never seen such numbers of folks shopping, with the unbelievable crowd augmented by bus load after bus load of Canadians debarking and entering the fray.
Tazzy was again a hit, flirting with the ladies with wild abandon. Note to bachelors who are enjoying little success on the dating scene; get a yellow Lab, put a cute bib on him, and sharpen your date book pencil. Taz is gold. I am guessing the patrons at a huge outdoor sports store would tend to love dogs, never more obvious, as evidenced by Tazzy’s popularity. All the while, Tazzy’s dad developed an even deeper appreciation for the Lycra pant trend this year…….wow.
Mr. Morris was prepared. His store was wonderfully staffed with a number of enticing offers on tables set up in the wider aisles. While there were a good number of people who came for the experience, there were also cartloads of merchandise being expertly wheeled through the store and lot. We also noted that folks with armloads of goods still took the time to visit with the Johnson crew and contribute.
This was our third year behind the bell and, God willing, we will be back at it next year. The generosity of Americans, living through the worst inflationary cycle in decades, is a beautiful thing. We intend to work Black Friday again next year, as the crowds are fun, the atmosphere festive, and the desire to help folks out never more evident. For us, being a bell ringer is not an obligation or chore rather it is a super rewarding experience. The Thanksgiving/ Christmas cycle is off to a great start and Bass Pro is a wonderful venue if you like to people watch and mingle among folks who share your enthusiasm for the great outdoors.
A final note. To those wondering, I have a feeling Mr. Morris covered his expenses yesterday. In fact, I would be willing to guarantee it!
Have a great week!
SR
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