Stalker Shopper

The weekends this month have been pretty tame after being completely packed in September with mini vacations and visitors from out of town. I've mostly been shopping to prepare for the cold weather which has already hit. It's freezing out here now!

Earlier in the month I was shopping with a friend at Zara. As I still haven't learned to dress myself beyond solids and neutrals, my fashion savvy friend picked out most of the items, piling piece after piece over my overloaded arm. At one point, she pulled a cute, checkered dress off of a rack, the last in its size, as another lady was thumbing through the batch. Over my arm the dress went, as my friend disappeared off to pick out a few work pieces for herself.

With that, I ambled over to the solids and neutrals, suddenly feeling that I was being followed. Why was the same lady around me everywhere I turned? As I thumbed through the navys, she was behind me thumbing through the purples. If I was near the whites, she was right across from me at the beiges.

And then....tap tap tap. Someone was tapping my shoulder.

Me: Yes?

Lady: What size is that dress?

Me: Huh?

Lady: What size is that dress?

Me: I don't know. Here, look at the tag.

A complete look of scorn covered her face. She was pissed. It was the last in its size, and apparently hers. I left to tell my friend that I was going to the dressing room.

A small line formed outside of the dressing room. The lady was there, causing a ruckus among the staff. She needed that dress. They would get her the dress from another store in a week. She would take no chances. She needed it now. Frustrated, the staff went to search the racks and stock room one more time.

And then...tap tap tap. Hmm...I wonder who that could be? I turned around.

Lady: Can you let me know if you aren't going to buy that dress? I need it.

Me: Alright.

She really needed the dress. She waited outside my dressing room the whole time as the staff searched and searced for another in that size. Feeling the pressure, I decided to try the dress on first.

Too big. I looked like a checkered cream puff. I took the dress off, put on something else and then pushed back the curtain.

Me: It doesn't fit. Here, it's yours.

A sigh of relief, and the shopping devil exited her body. She flashed a warm, happy smile and thanked me. The staff was happy too now, despite the looks they gave behind her back.

After shopping with my friend, I met up with the Boy. He wanted to get a few shirts from the GAP, so I went with him. As we first entered the store, he spotted two coats that he thought I might like. One was white, the other beige. There was only one coat left in each color in my size, and he pulled them both.

The white one looked a little bit too big. The beige one fit, but it was missing many buttons. I asked the staff to check the stock room for another in my size, complaining that the one I had was missing buttons everywhere. They had it! One more left in my size in perfect condition. I was so excited! I'd been looking for a coat that fit that wasn't going to cost me a good portion of my monthly salary for a while now. But I was still not sure which one I wanted. I really wanted a white coat.

They brought the coat over to me from stock, and then I felt it. Paranoia set in, and the shopping devil entered. Everyone was sifting through the beige coat rack looking for one in my size. I watched lady after lady move to another rack with dissapointment, as I was holding the last coat in its size. I refused to put it down. I knew if I let it go for a second to try on other coats, it would be snatched away. I needed that coat. As I picked up a couple of other coats to try on in front of a mirror, I lodged the beige on in between my knees, vigilant of those that wanted to take it. Not until the ping! of the cash register after I purchased my new beige coat did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. The shopping devil was now exiting.