The Old Switcheroo

My shopping style has changed dramatically in the past 18 months. I used to fill an entire afternoon wandering from store to store – perusing this, trying on that, rationalizing prices and feeling triumphant every time I used a coupon or got a great sale deal. I’d buy piecemeal – a little here, a little there. I obviously don’t have the free time I once did to do that kind of shopping.

Nowadays I vacillate between buying more expensive items because they are “just what I was looking for” and filling an entire shopping cart to the brim at stores like Old Navy (even Target sometimes) where once or twice a season I can shop for everyone in the family (including the dog) in one fell swoop and then later return whatever doesn’t fit or isn’t liked.

I recently had such a back-to-school spree at Old Navy. Fortunately, my kids and husband all liked what I bought. Even the dog gave an approving sniff to the bumble bee costume I had purchased for her (I know, I know, Halloween already you say? But, it’s never too early to snatch up the good canine ones!). The only “misfits” from my binge were 2 pairs of pajama pants for my 9 yr. old son. They simply weren’t as comfy as his LikeWear lounge pants – and I quote. Shameless plug, but totally true. But, I digress… as I was putting away in various closets all the new and approved purchases, I discarded all the plastic hangers that came with the clothes in an empty shopping bag to be thrown away as garbage, and left the 2 pants to be returned in another bag.

It was tough enough finding the time to go shopping in the first place. Now for the really hard part – carving out more time to go back and return the 2 PJ pants. The bag sat in my car for almost 2 weeks – at the ready in case my travels took me back past the store. Finally my Mom mentioned that she was going to Old Navy yesterday afternoon. Of course, she didn’t mind bringing something back for me.

She waited on a very long and slow moving line, walked up to the register and handed the saleswoman my bag and asked her to please apply the credit to her purchase. The saleswoman looked inside the bag and said, “What exactly are you returning?” “2 pajama pants”, my mother explained. “My daughter gave them to me to bring back. They are in the bag you are holding.” “Really?” the sales clerk questioned, “because this bag is just filled with old plastic hangers.”

How can I be so focused and “on” most of the time and so scatterbrained and “off” sometimes too? Must be the stress. I really should try shopping online. Think there is a site that sells brain upgrades?