These are a few of my favorite things
Over the weekend we had to make one of those never any fun but always essential visits to Target. You know that trip, the list includes toilet paper, laundry soap, toothpaste, etc.
You spend a hundred bucks and don’t even bring home anything fun.
I was *very* adamant with myself on this trip that I would get only what was on my list, and not wander.
Oh, I can wander. At a Target? I’m a wandering, shopping fool.
But no. The Good Man and I made a list. A thoughtful, in depth list. And I promised to stick to it.
Gah! But it’s Taaaaarget!
No, no. Must be austere. Financial times are tough. Tighten the ol’ belt and whatnot.
So I pushed that little red shopping cart up and down the aisles. Razor blades, check. Kitty litter, check. Toilet bowl cleaner, check.
But then. Oh then…I rounded the corner, and at the end of the row, I landed promptly in the…oh sigh…school supplies aisle.
And by aisle, I mean huge display.
Oh yes, Target has the “back to school” on with gusto.
I caught my first whiff of brand new three ring binders and I was suddenly intoxicated.
I stepped into the brightly lit and vibrantly colored area, eyes wide, wandering around like a hillbilly at Times Square.
It was delicious.
They have one whole section devoted to Crayola items. I *adore* all things Crayola. Those are some damn fine people who put out the Crayola product line!
I’m not going to lie to you, I plucked a sixty-four count box of Crayons from the bin, lifted to my nose, and sniffed.
*sniiiiiiiiiif* Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.
I fondled a twenty-four pack of fine line Crayola markers. I even took them from the rack, intent on purchase.
But, no. No, damnit, I must be strong.
I looked at notebooks. I do love a fresh, clean, happy notebook full of blank pages, just waiting to be sullied by my new twenty-four pack of markers!
No, no. Steady soldier!
My eyes grew hazy as I gazed at the selection of pens, Elmer’s school glue, hole punches, pencil cases, protractors, and back packs.
Gad, it was heady stuff! I loved every minute of it. I basked. I wandered. I touched and sniffed and generally fell in love all over again with school supplies.
Mind you, I don’t miss school. That part was never fun, but the school supplies! Oh the supplies. So great.
After leaving the store with my purchases, (I held strong and stuck to the list), I noted that two storefronts down was a Staples.
Egads, I had to walk past it!
But no, I’d had my hit. I was still riding high, so I was fine.
I walked past the Staples strong and confident, the waxy smell of Crayons still lingering in my nostrils.
Comments
Elise
Oh, you're a better woman than I. There's no way I could have sniffed the crayons and not bought them.
The same goes for Play-Doh.
And what is it about school (and office) supplies? Notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, tablets, etc. I lust after them something fierce.
I always thought it had to do with my love for school (I did love it). But if you have the same affliction and didn't care for school, now I question.
Anonymous
All I ever had was a box with eight (8) Crayons. Eight, I must have been poor. The other colors were little stubs. I do not remember Crayons coming in more than 16 colors till my kids going to school. I think there was a box with 64 colors. I did not know there were that many colors in nature.
Igor Stone
Miz Shoes
Many years ago, I worked for Citibank. We were a corporate sponsor when the city of Miami decided it needed a Children's Museum. For our money, we were given a sealed box of 64 Crayons. In a custom made lucite box/stand (hinged, so you could get to them). When my boss left Citibank, he gave me the award. I still have it, and the seal has never been broken on that box of pristine Crayolas. There is something so holy and pure and innocent about the smell of a fresh box of Crayons, non?
Karen Fayeth
Oooh Miz Shoes, that is a very cool corporate gift!
Yes, there is something so right about fresh, fully sharp Crayons!