Macy’s, Black Friday, Good Friday
Treasures (and the ‘reality’) of the ‘holiday’ season…
I am getting ‘up there’ in ‘years,’ so I ‘mix’ up the words ‘Black Friday,’ and ‘Good Friday.’ Working as a ‘cashier’ at Macy’s on ‘Black Friday,’mixing up the words was a ‘joke,’ at first. And, then, something spectacular happened.
For those of you who ‘read’ me, regularly, or ‘not,’ I write about the ‘circle.’ Not just the ‘circle of life,’ but the ‘circle’ called, much more technically, ‘gravity.’ The ‘hidden’ (and not-so-hidden) circle that holds everything together, and, also, keeps everything a ‘part.’
This ‘circle’ shows up everywhere. Creating ‘seasons,’ and ‘holidays.’ Purchases, and ‘sales.’ It shows up on ‘Black Friday,’ and, also, more spectacularly, actually, on ‘Good Friday.’ And this year, (just like every ‘year’) it showed up at Macy’s.
A young woman, after waiting patiently in a very long ‘Black Friday’ line, approached my ‘cash’ register, carrying a beautiful red (and black) blouse. She had her ‘credit’ card ready to buy. She was expecting a thirty-percent discount.
The cash register clicked on, and the price appeared on her screen. And it was not the ‘thirty-percent-less’ she was expecting. She smiled, without saying a word. But I could see in her eyes, she was definitely ‘disappointed.’ I asked her ‘Do you have a Macy’s card?’ to see if she qualified for any additional discounts.
She shook her head ‘No.’ But her eyes were on me, telling me to pay closer attention. I asked her, as we do on every ‘sale,’ ‘Would you like to get a Macy’s card?’ and she nodded, with a ‘definite’ ‘Yes.’
Meanwhile, the line was growing, and growing, yet there was not one word of disapproval from the other customers.
Finally, she mouthed to me ‘I cannot speak.’ It went right to (and through) my heart. She wanted the red (and black blouse), and she was willing to do what it took to get it at the reduced price. She turned around. And looked at the line.
We went through the application process. It didn’t take all that long. But there were glitches along the way. Both of us were ‘patient.’ And then the ‘answer’ came: ‘Call Credit to discuss.’
She ‘motioned’ to me, that she didn’t have time. She pointed to her ‘watch.’ And I nodded. Realizing, even if I could ‘get through’ to ‘credit’ on Black Friday, she wouldn’t be able to ‘speak.’
I noted, the entire line, now, was watching. And, yet, not a word, or a grimace of displeasure anywhere.
I didn’t know what to do. Because I didn’t have the ‘number’ to call ‘credit,’ and she didn’t have the ‘time.’ She smiled again. And nodded. And took out a pad. She wrote me a note that she couldn’t stay, thanking me, anyway. I wrote back, and gave her the slip from the cash register, and told her ‘Come back.’
Actually, a tear just fell from my eye thinking about the story.
We took each others’ ‘hands’ and she looked closely at my ‘name tag.’ And smiled. And then she walked away. Without the blouse. Or a credit card.
Time passed. Many more customers. Many waiting in line. Not one complaint. Over two days. Many hours. Many different cultures. Etc. Many situations. Problems. Lots of chaos. Yet, stillness. You know.
It was extraordinary, actually. The whole ‘Black (Good) Friday’ scene.
I came home, late at night, exhausted. Fell asleep. Woke up. After several hours, and thought of the young woman and the red and black blouse.
She kind of ‘reminded me’ of a ‘younger version’ of my own mother. And I could ‘see’ my mother, standing there in line, after searching the whole chaotic store for that one red (and black) blouse.
To be disappointed after waiting, with no discount, no sale, and no blouse.
But leaving, after all, with a smile on her face. Without showing any disappointment at all.
I thought of all the other people, who were able to ‘speak.’ Some got their discounts, others not-so-much. But still, not one complaint.
And I wondered, to myself. What I could have done differently. I guess I could have given her the discount. Even though, technically, it didn’t apply. I felt sad I hadn’t thought of it as an option at the time. Missed opportunity. For both of us. All of us, actually.
At any rate. We wonder about all kinds of things. After experiencing everything. All of us. Some good. Some bad. We’ve been through this same story, in one way, or an ‘other.’ After all is said and done, we all realize, whether we say it or not, it’s all 50–50.
Meaning, we’ve all mixed up the words ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Good Friday.’ Literally. And, figuratively. In one way. Or an ‘other.’
And we all know the meaning of the word ‘gravity,’ and what I mean, when I say, there’s an invisible circle, holding all of us together. And keeping all of us a ‘part.’
Maybe that’s why God sent me this young woman. At Macy’s. On ‘Good Friday.’ So I could tell the story to you. And you could learn about, figure out, and apply (realize, you’re always applying) the ‘Circular Theory.’ Your ‘self.’
Any way. That’s it from me. This Thanksgiving. When I have, like all of you, so much to be thankful for. I am glad she came through my ‘line.’
It’s all good. Even though, we all know, underneath it all, it’s half-bad.
That’s the ‘gist’ of (and the core concept beneath) the ‘Circular Theory.’ And, of course, then, of your ‘life.’ And, mine.
