4.10.2006

bullseye

It's amazing how much good Super Target can do for one's soul. It can bring to mind appreciation for what you have and rekindle fond memories. I know, I know, it's a chain store but I'm convinced it's magical.

Last Thursday I was getting my eye exam at Target as it is one of the providers for my insurance. By the way, I chose some funky new glasses that will be showcased when they come in. To bide some time after the awful pupil dilation (I think I'd rather risk eye disease then go through that again), I did a little grocery shopping. This Target carries the Skinny Cow peanut butter ice cream sandwiches that seem a rare commodity in this town. As I was waiting for my $120 grocery bill, that was really supposed to be $30, to ring through, I heard loud wailing and gnashing of teeth. I looked over and saw a distressed boy yelling at his mother about his lack of a toy. It was apparently not fair that she was buying toys for other kids but not him. He even tried to lay a few unsuccessful hits on her. She calmly headed to the register, red faced and obviously trying to keep it together. I gave her a smile as she walked him out of the store because the last thing she needed was a snide remark or disapproving glance. I thought "I'm glad that's not me." There is always someone else who is having a worse day than you, and really, life is pretty darn good.

So, fast forward another five minutes as I headed to my car, smiling, groceries in tow, grateful that I have not yet endured that kind of kid havoc. A car alarm started to sound. I was immediately taken back to an embarrassing moment likely triggered by the flustered mother. The age is hazy, but I think I was about 13 or 14, running errands with my mom in a ridiculous sports car that my dad owned for less than six months. I thought sitting in the car was a better alternative than going inside to Canada's equivalent of the DMV. Little did I know back then that government agencies move at a snail's pace. After 15 impatient minutes I wanted out. I went to open the door of that silly blue corvette (or was it black) and the stupid alarm went off. Panic set in as I realized that the doors still would not unlock and I was trapped inside a honking car. People walked by confused as to why I didn't turn off the alarm. One man even attempted to talk to me through the noise while I gestured that I couldn't get out or make the noise stop. My mom didn't arrive until long after the car alarm had gone off several times. I was sure I had endured all the humiliation a teen could, but little did I know what junior high still had in store! I had almost forgotten about that incident until that rainy night last week in the Super Target's parking lot. Yet the rain couldn't deter the laughter...

Go to Target, it might just change your night.

21 comments:

MF said...

Mmm...skinny cow....mmm.

aisy said...

amen brotha...

Sara said...

Costco even carries Skinny Cow (at least in Pdx) and sometimes the peanut butter.

ngharker said...

i am completely unaware of skinny cow. is it some sort of break through in dietary dairy treats?

aisy said...

i think it is low fat. i eat them because they're delicious.

MF said...

Amen, sistuh. They are d-licious. I'm especially partial to the mint and chocolate ones.

Ryan Remains said...

Skinny Cow rules the school.

My former favorite Target treat was this ice cream swirly thing. I've now forgotten the name, but they also had one in Heber Springs, Arkansas at Steeves Ice Cream shop. Plus, they just got one in Juneau, Alaska at the Breeze Inn. You get to pick your swirly flavor and then it melts into the vanilla ice cream. I recommend the raspberry, obviously.

mskaz said...

If I could go to Target, I would. Are you trying to hurt me little sister? I've been trying to figure a way to get south of the border for a few days, just for Target. I'm a sad, sad person.

Also, I think that car was black. And I am proud to say I never rode in it. I refused because I was too cool for my dad at the time. Nice kid I was. I was mortified he had a corvette! Haha. But regardless of how bitchy I was, I still stand by my mortification. Corvette? Ew.

There was a story as to why he had that car, but I can't recall what. Thankfully it was short lived.

aisy said...

there's an easy solution... come visit your sister in utah and we can hit up all the targets. maybe if i post something weekly about target it will work. um, is that why you had your great falls plan? (by the way, tix were just as expensive).

that car was eww.

Anonymous said...

I keep getting all these reminders of why I should have kept a journal. That was a pretty funny story - too bad I barely remember it. So mskaz... are you really saying you NEVER had a ride in the Corvette? BTW - all the treat talk reads like a foreign language to me.

aisy said...

sorry mum... if we talked about clotted cream would that make more sense? one day when you're down stateside i'll give you a skinny cow treat so you'll be in the loop! mmmm

feel free to use my blog as your journal ;-)

David said...

yesterday aislinn. i wore the target uniform (unintentionally) to target. red t-shirt, and khaki pants. i felt like such an idiot.

when the lady looked at me in line she did a double take. i was like "yeah yeah.. i know, i'm wearing your uniform. i'm kind of lame i realize."

she laughed, i laughed. then she forgot about me and helped the next person.

great blog

Ryan said...

I think that if Target had a fan club I'd be in it. My house is decorated and furnished by Target (mixed with some Ikea of course,) at lease half of my wardrobe is from Target, and we go there probably an average of 2 times a week.

If Target was a church, I'd take the discussions.

Anonymous said...

I don't get the Target swoon. Really. It's just another second rate experience.

And don't knock the black 'Vette. It was, as Aisy's little nephew told his grandpa on the cell from Boston Saturday, "We're in a smoking car." That was from papa's new Infiniti wheels putting out 298 hp with a six speed. It ain't a 'Vette, but not bad.

Pound for dollar, you won't get better performance than the Corvette. And more weenies drive Bimmers; they just dress better. And sip designer coffee. Present company excepted, and that includes my fav car guy sil.
The other sil is my fav father of a son sil.

aisy said...

David... you should have worked the "uniform" in to a discount. Bluth... maybe we should start a fan club. Anonymous Jim... I get why guys like vettes because they're so fast, yadda, yadda, yadda but they just don't do it for me. I think they're ugly and insanely difficult to get in and out of. And trust me, target rocks.

David said...

vette's are just big phallic symbols with doors.

i question the man who drives them. insecurity issues come to mind.

but the old ones are pretty cool looking i'll give them that. new vette's are pathetic.

mskaz said...

The joke that kept being repeated when dad had that pathetic car was,
"What's the difference between a Corvette and a cactus?"
"The prick is on the outside of a cactus."

Or something like that.

And yes, I never rode in the Corvette. I did sit in it and decided it would be too undignified. Especially sitting beside a middle-aged man, I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about his mid-life crisis.

mskaz said...

Present company excepted, and that includes my fav car guy sil.
The other sil is my fav father of a son sil.


"Anonymous" brother Jim: I didn't get what this meant at all. Do you know a man named Sil? Or is it supposed to be Sister-In-Law, and if so, wha-huh? Also, you should exclude my husband in this because he doesn't sip designer coffee, and his dress? Well, let's not go there. Also, he could give you a beat down.

aisy said...

Doh, that was Anonymous "dad." SIL is SON-IN-LAW. Ha ha ha. Here I thought jim was bragging about his new car only to realize it was Dad bragging about it (thanks to my Sis-in-Law for that tip).

David, I think my dad's love affair for the cars had little to do with insecurities, as the guy was maybe a little too secure. But yeah, some guys definitely use the car as an overcompensation.

mskaz said...

It seems to me the Corvette was purchased to help a client out of a large debt. Or something. Yeah, dad never really needed to overcompensate for anything. Or so says mom... zing!

I read and re-read that "anon" quote and was confindent it was my over-secure brother, but should have easily read between the lines to see it was dad. The SIL makes all the sense in the world now.

Thanks for the tip, Denise!

MF said...

target. i like it. corvettes. i like the old one's too. to me, the corvette is the poor man's, well, they just scream 80's. the old ones, ie, the stingray, are pretty intense.