The Arbiter of Taste Meets His Match

Today I had a less-than-tasteful moment. This occurred to be when I was standing in line at the new Nordstrom's Rack opening for the super-hyped Park Lane development that folks are hoping will turn my Crackhood  across from Northpark into the next Uptown. Given the high cost of construction materials last year and the fact that no one is buying in existing stores this year, this little project has suffered some serious setbacks, including opening a year behind schedule. Needless to say with only a few stores opening they need to put some butts in the seats. The surest way to accomplish this is by offering free stuff. 

Now, I've known this for some time but always forget that putting "FREE" on something will automatically make it coveted. In fact, after today, I'm pretty sure someone could put a sign on a dung heap and start calling out "Hey, come get your free shit!!" people would start fist-fighting one another over the steaming piles...

Needless to say that I don't believe that you have to come from money to have class or to be presentable in public. Money helps, but it can't buy dignity. So I never, never go to anything that says "free" because that's the easiest way to meet some of the most classless people alive. However, there were a number of factors that led me to standing in line around 8:30 this morning: Spring Break, boredom and the chance of a $1,000 shopping spree and the Boy's eyes lighting up at the mere mention of this all collided to make this happen. 

Imagine my surprise (no, really) when I'm walking up and folks are actually camped out-like it's Black Friday Eve-in front of the store. First thought: Don't these people work? Second thought: It's a cheap tote. Third thought: WTF? Keep in mind that by the time the store opened at 9:00 there were about 500 people waiting to enter like Nordstrom's Knock-off is the Pearly Gates. Even better is that you have Highland Park Housewives and North Dallas New Money standing next to fresa Mexicans and just your everyday Joe (me). So after the drawing for the shopping spree (which I was disappointed not to win) the doors opened at 9-ish to cheers and claps (WTF??! Seriously?). After which it took all of 5 minutes just to get in and then the whole store staff is clapping for us. It was like a birthday at Olive Garden gone horribly, horribly wrong. 

This is where the Arbiter of Taste (again, me in case we have special ones reading) did several things that were tasteless. I shouted to some middle aged woman that if she wanted to converse with her girlfriend the Starbucks was across the street. Having worked retail and events like this for the better part of a decade (yes I'm only 25 and and I said decade) I hate stores and events like this because people just turn into beasts who are only interested in milling around until the spot a "Bargain" and move in to cull the herd. I try to get in and out, no matter what. 

Next I proceeded to buy 3 pairs of shoes and debated multiple t-shirts and even sunglasses (I don't wear sunglasses, but I want to start) before spending a staggering amount just because the label said Cole Haan (seriously, though I'm turning into a shoe whore, and yes I find this classless). I attribute this to two things: me being bored over Spring Break and the general fever of White Trash that takes people over in an outlet setting. I'm not against a good bargain. I work hard for my money and try to make the most out of it, but I am against crowds of people who are out for as much as they can for as little as they can.

 There is a fine line between making your dollar last and between getting what you haven't earned, I think that more often that not this is where it gets crossed. Nothing is ever free. The tote was given at the "time of purchase".