The most wonderful time of the year, part III

After work, a friend and I went downtown to do some shopping at Century 21, the discount department store across from the WTC site. She was confident we could brave the throngs, and I was afraid we'd run into huge crowds. Though we had to do the usual navigating around people in the narrow aisles, it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. Macy's big sale last week was far, far worse in terms of having to make your way past people.

My favorite kind of shopping is setting out strictly to buy gifts for others, then you spot something for yourself, then something else, and another thing, that you justify getting. "Well, while I'm already here..." So while I accomplished my original mission very nicely, I did pick up a few things for myself. Somehow I exercised a little self control. The men's fragrances section was very tempting, but I bought more colognes just last week.

I hadn't been to Century 21 in a while, but the air inside still had the familiar electrical smell of raw consumer capitalism. There are few things like it.

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The most wonderful time of the year
The most wonderful time of the year, part II