(Inspired by the shopping spree I had today and the beautiful music from "Finding Nemo" by Thomas Newman)
A very short tale about SHOPPING FRENZY
"Ladies and Gentleman, we now call your attention to the following advertisement! The shop is about to open! Please move calmly and orderly towards the corridor you are interested in."
A sound is released by the unlocking mechanisms of the doors that prevent the entry of any outsiders.
As the mechanism relinquishes the lock, a most uncommon riot takes place.
Hundreds of hungry people rush towards the toy, hi-fi, clothes, books, music, video and all the other sections inside the huge empire of sales.
"RED ALERT!!! BATTLE STATIONS MEN!" says the talented Manager, sure of himself? The might captain in the middle of the rumbling storm of customers who eagerly and selfishly demand his attention?
"ME! I was here first" - screams a mad woman, who desperately wonders for any available bra size to give to her mother-in-law, who just turned 80 and got a thong and now needs a matching lingerie element for her ensemble!
"What kind of business are you running here!?" - screams a fat man, who waits for some attention with the rubber doll he is thinking of getting, claiming that is not for him, instead it serves as a prank for a friend at work.
"Be right with you sir! Madam, the number you want is currently sold out at this establishment, however you can give me your contact, and we can make a reservation. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days to get the size your looking for."
"Thank you, that would be great"
"My colleague here, will take the required elements, and will submit your request." - the manager was a true master in his field. Like his dad, he had the instinct to care for anyone's needs. Ever since he was a trainee, his first boss taught him the early basics.
"Son, all you have to do to succeed in this business, is to ensure, costumer satisfaction, by any means possible. Be flexible, assertive, show no fear, or they will skin you alive" - these words became the hallmark on his reputation.
"Is it my turn now!?" - the steamy fat man, yield even at an higher than before, as small clouds of vapour formed around him.
"Sure it is! Would you like to step into the latex area so we can browse through the several models we have in sale. Maybe you can have a wider range of options at your disposal, hence picking out the right rubber doll model to please your friend!"
"Hey! That would be great! You are swell, young man!"
2 happy costumers, different needs, 2 satisfactory responses.
How does one deal with this day after day?
It's like living in a jungle, where the lions are starving everyday and always thriving to catch a prey, who careless wonders through the fields, just waiting to be caught!
Entire herds of people guided by the greedy commercials that come in all sizes and shapes to reach all who submit themselves to it's action. And like a stampede of buffalos they blindly go, towards a certain shop to fulfill their part in the big spree of shopping.
"Today's special, something that you so don't need, but you will take any way, because all you do is what we recommend you to!" - How is that for a commercial? Too real?
In all the madness, one like me, stands in a line after being fair to the system, making his part in the big chain of goods consumption, and thinks about all of them, who walk around him.
People, they are people, with feelings, all of them with needs to be nourished in the most unusual way possible. After all, they all of the distinguished ambitions and desires, so one must be ready to look, listen, think and come up with a resolution to any situation. People's politeness is like fickle food served in a shifting dish. It's governed by patience and surrounding conditions, rarely there is time to take a breather, a time out of any situation, and prevent our more aggressive impulses from taking a part or the whole darn action.
Unfortunately, this starts at the very core of any given home, where the so called patience is replaced by unbelievable selfish arguments, which, in the early days of any relation, would be inconceivable.
Alas, lies the hope the people will grow out of their misery and move towards something more altruistic, than a mere disrespect for a brother, a sister, a father, a mother, or any common strange who stands like us "patiently" in line waiting for the endless minutes until "our" turn comes.
In all the raging madness of shopping, a surely hope for humanity sake, that we grow up towards patience.
Listening: Finding Nemo by Thomas Newman
Reading: Eulogy to Madness by Erasmus of Rotterdam
Seeing: Black Adder's Christmas Carol by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton
Waiting: World Peace, or any kind of peace that takes place in 3 mile radius, of any point in the world from where I am standing, by anyone.
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