Bullseye

So once again my boss is out of town, which means I am working very hard trying to look busy. This also means – blogging marathon! Yay! We can do it! A post everyday! That no one will read! Whoohoo!

As you can see by the title & image at the top of the post, I am writing about an establishment we all know & love – Target.

Somehow, whenever I walk into a Target, the store seems to sense what I want and need – even before I myself realize.  For example, the other day I went to Target to get some mundane household items – laundry detergent, sandwich baggies, lotion, etc.  I thought I had everything I needed.  After leaving the hardware section (after grabbing a pack of one-time-use Krazy Glues), I noticed I was passing by the infant/toddler section of the store.  Now, as a mom-to-be, I have tried to be practical and limit how much baby stuff I look at – I don’t know the baby’s gender, I still have 6 months to go, and I plan on mooching as many of my friends’ & relatives’ hand-me-downs as possible.  The only time I’ve stepped foot in a baby boutique store since finding out I was pregnant was to buy a gift for another gal.  And I wasn’t allowed to linger or loiter as my husband was waiting in the car (ah, my dear husband).

So I definitely slowed down my pace as I walked by aisle after aisle of clothing, burping cloths, and pacifiers – tempted to enter one of the aisles and look at things up close, but intimidated by the crying children, frenzied parents, and other hooligans that were already occupying the precious aisle space.  As I started to pick up the pace again, telling myself that it was still too soon – ALL THE LIGHTS RIGHT OVER THE BABY SECTION WENT OUT.

It was the eeriest thing in the world.  Babies started screaming. Parents became anxious and started wheeling their carts out of the aisles, scratching their heads, wondering aloud.  I expected the lights to turn back on fairly immediately, but they stayed off.  I realized I was standing there, mouth agape.

Suddenly, all the aisles that had seemed crowded and all-too-boisterous were silent, empty, and dark.  I slowly turned my cart to enter an aisle...

I proceeded to go up and down 3 or 4 of the aisles, touching all the receiving blankets, petting the fleece footed sleepers, and inhaling the soft gentle scent of baby products. I didn’t put anything in my basket, of course.  But it was a nice glimpse into my future.  A soft opening, if you will, to acclimate me to an area of Target that will probably be as familiar as the back of my hand in, oh, 25 weeks.

I didn’t think I was ready, but Target knew I was – given the right circumstances. 

Thank you, Target. I love you.

PS: I’d like to say as soon as I walked out of the aisles and went back to my normal business that the lights miraculously & instantaneously turned back on in dramatic fashion.  But, no. They stayed off as I finished my shopping, paid and left the store. Still, I think it was a pretty special coincidence – don’t you?