I went to the mall today, a small one-floor mall where I felt good enough to walk to the two stores I wanted to go to.  Unfortunately the store where I had a gift certificate from for my birthday had moved out of the mall.  I hadn’t bought winter clothes in a couple of years so I went to Old Navy and got a few things, trying to ignore the guilt feelings about spending any money on myself.  (I came home and threw the sweater I had been wearing in the garbage.)

I’m heading out to leave when this woman from a kiosk literally grabs me by the hand and pulls me over to her booth and starts filing my nail!  She wouldn’t let go of my hand and she wouldn’t stop talking!  “Are you ready to be amazed?”, she asks.  She shows me my nail.  “It’s very nice but I can’t afford it.”  “But you just went shopping!”  What nerve!  “Yeah, well I couldn’t afford that either”, I said, walking away.  That was the first kiosk person that has ever “got” me!  Now I have just one perfectly manicured nail and nine other crappy ones.

On the way out, I looked into Victoria’s Secret to see if they had any good underwear sales.  One of the saleswomen holds out a bra.  “Do you want to feel our latest Miracle Bra?”  “No thanks, I’m a D-cup, I don’t need a miracle.”  Then she starts talking to me about other bras. “I really just need some panties.”  So she started to tell me about every panty in the store.  I didn’t get anything.

Is it the economic desperation?  You can ask me if I need anything once, but after that if I need YOUR help, I’ll ask for it!  Ever since I hit my early 20s I’ve always hated to shop, even when I wasn’t sick!