A local Fields store is having a blow out sale. What most would consider a closing out sale is not in this case, it is just an attempt for them to clear out last years stock to make room for this years. However I think blow out is an understatement. Ridiculous would be a better term.
For example, I wandered in the other day to browse around. I found a pair of shorts for the boys. Really nice ones actually. $13.00 each is what the tag read. When I went up to the till, the cashier rang them in at $1.00. I seriously thought a mistake was made. After going back a second time to stock up for the summer a friend had told me she got some for one penny. Yup .01 Cent. for good quality, brand new shorts. A friend and I joked about me buying a bunch and consigning them to make a profit. I have to admit, the second time I went back, that was my motive.
Yesterday when I got home with another bag full, the look on Blaine's face was priceless. When I asked him how much he thought I spent he guessed $20.00. Nope I said proudly, 7 cents!!! "come on" he said. Then I proceeded to tell him how everything they don't get rid of in the next few days will go to good will. I was sickened that people who could really benefit from these penny deals were later going to be finding them for $5.00 at the local second hand store. I stumbled upon my own words as they were escaping my mouth. Blaine didn't even have to say it, for I was thinking it far earlier. I just bought up these shorts in a plot to sell them for 10X the cost so that I could benefit from them. It was then that the Mustard Seed came to mind. A friend of mine volunteers there on a regular basis. I quickly called her up and asked if there were kids that came by the shelter. Her reply startled me. One boy in particular has been by a few times. Size 6 or 7 was her reply when I asked her what size she thought he was in. It just so happens that size 7 was the size I bought. It was settled, I was going back for more and I was going to donate them to the Mustard Seed.
Today the minute I was done work, I headed to Fields. Today's attempt was to purchase clothes for adults. The store was fairly busy (5 customers instead of the usual 1). As I gathered items to find out which ones were on sale and which were not I was a little flustered and embarrassed. Once I was there and had a pile of clothes that only totaled .10 cents I began to see the store differently. I wanted to gather every item that I possibly could. The more pennies I could round up, the more items I would purchase. When I finally headed out to the truck I glanced down and saw a penny sitting by my lip gloss. Before, my thoughts would have been nothing .... it is a penny, what can a penny buy? Today it was a shirt or a pair of shorts or a sweater, a smile and a warm body.
Who knows how these people get to a point where they can't afford a meal let alone clothes or a place to live. Some my say they asked for it, they chose it. Did they chose it though? Did they really ask for it? As I walked in the house hauling my extra large, bag full of clothes that I purchased for only 12 cents I felt helpless. What I have to offer is so little ... there is a store full of clothes down the street and all I have to offer is one extra large bag.
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