I survived!

Yes, I made it through the blackest Friday of the year unscathed. It was not easy getting up at 3am to be to work at 4am, but I managed... and thanks to some green tea pills, I got a boost of energy with which to confront the onslaught of customers I knew awaited me.

I was stationed outside my little world in the Photo Lab to sell laptops in Lawn and Garden. I had no idea how this whole thing was going to work.. few of us did. To my relief, I found some of my good friends were stationed back there with me.. safety in numbers!

Since the store was open for 24 hours to avoid the massive rush of people at 5am which resulted in the death of a NYC employee last year, shoppers were able to line up in the store for their designated big sale item, and were given tickets to ensure them they would be getting said product. I had the distinct pleasure of cashing out laptops and various other items they had picked up in their many hours in the store waiting for the magical moment of the 5am sale time... I cashed for over an hour. Yea, good times.

Thankfully, I spent the rest of my shift in Lawn and Garden, directing customers and making sure no one escaped through our back doors.. with unpaid merchandise. It was fairly quiet back there.. especially in comparison to the insanity of the rest of the store. Since there were SO many associates scheduled to work from 4am to 1pm, I was not in danger of being pulled from my black Friday sanctuary.

The worst part for me was how cold and damp it was in that department, especially with the freight doors open. It ended up really messing up my lower back (I have sciatica)... and by the time I got home, I needed my Mom to bring my cane out to me so I could get out of my car. I still get shooting pains every now and then... but that should pass.

Thankfully, I survived yet another black Friday!