My Last Bit of Christmas Shopping

This was supposed to be the good year where all my shopping was done early
and All I had to do was wrap the boxes as everything was delivered to me. 
I love online shopping and thought I was done.

The big problem was buying stuff for my wife.  I was reluctant at first to
pick anything up at all after she dissed me for my birthday.  Nothing. No
cake. No presents.  No.... nothing.  She said in late September she'd
gone to one shop to look for something (they're a big --HUGE!-- electronics
chain selling TVs, DVDs, CDs, computer stuff, etc.), but said she couldn't find
anything.  

Nothing.  

For me.  

That's virtually impossible.  I've got to be one of the easiest people to
buy for. I'm constantly buying things for myself on eBay (somebody has
to).  I love movies, I have eclectic tastes in music and books. 
Nothing.  Couldn't find anything for me.  Please.

It made Christmas shopping difficult.  I'd see things I'd like for her, but
was adamant that I wouldn't get her anything.  Of course, a few weeks back
I bailed and decided to get her something.  A little something.  When
I went to go shopping, she shouted at me, "Don't buy anything too
expensive!  Money's tight!"  so, everything I looked at I
second-guessed myself and wasted a day of shopping and not buying anything.

Last week, I went to go again and we got into a fight and I didn't go.

So, today was the final opportunity I had to go shopping before starting work at
Noon.  My plan:  Get to the mall when it opens at 9:30.  Get my
shopping done by 11 or 11:30 and then get to work and go for a quick
run.  

Simple.  For anyone but me.

For me the morning starts with an upset son and a stumbling daughter.  And
once the daughter stumbles, she starts crying and that sets off the upset
son.  And 9:30 rolls by quickly while the wife decides to take a long
shower.  Long shower is followed by close to an hour to get dressed (she's staying
home all day, how long does it take to get dressed to stay home???).  I
finally leave, quite perturbed, at 10:35.  

By the time I get to the mall, it's 11 and I only have a little time before
work.  As I'm wandering around the mall, I realize I've left my boss' gift
at home.  Left in a such hurry that it stayed on the dresser.  And
he's leaving today and will be back in January.  Crap.  I'll have to
get another gift while I'm out.

Most line-ups aren't that bad, at least not as bad as I was expecting.  I'm
able to pick up most gifts quite quickly.  That is, until I hit the
bookstore.  They had one long line-up snaking through the store before you
got to the three cashiers.  As I got closer I overheard the cashiers commenting
that the debit/credit machines were down and they could only take cash. 
Everyone at a cashier was using plastic and they all were insisting that the cashiers
try again.

And again.

And again.

Good lord.  I finally shouted out, "I have cash!  I have one
book!  Can I cut in line!?!?"  Talk about dirty looks from the
people in front of me.   gave them another 5 minutes before I
left.  Was I that evil?

I had to drive to another mall to get my boss' gift.  I'd bought such a
cool thing fro him, I wanted to get it again so I needed to drive a bit. 
Ended up getting a spot just outside the front door of the store. 
Weird!  People were driving all over the lot looking for spots and there
was one right in front of the door.  I knew I needed to rush to get the
gift both because I was running out of time for work and was worried that the
parking spot was too good to be true.  I actually walked right in and found
what I was looking for right by the cashier.  And there was no line.

After all this, I made it to work on time and still didn't buy anything 'big'
for my wife.  Too bad, I guess.  I'll write a note saying she can go
spend a hundred bucks at the store of her choice (I have no idea where she wants
to shop these days --it changes too much).

So, Christmas shopping was skewed by done --and done before December 24th so I'm doing better than most men...