This morning Lucy and I did the consumerist thing and went to Walmart at 6am to buy something on sale. It's a bit embarassing to go to Walmart at all, let alone on the day after Thanksgiving at 6 o'clock in the morning. But we did. We got there and found the parking lot more than half-full. The line began at the front door and stretched almost the full length of the front of the building. And there was still 10 minutes until the store opened! We happened to be standing near the "lawn and garden" entrance and so, when the store opened, the line bisected and we were near the front pouring into the second entrance. People went racing hither and yon searching for their particular deals. The aisles were jammed with boxes on packing crates. We went to electronics and asked where the item were were looking for was and were told it was being distributed from Sporting Goods. So we went there just as the line was forming and were perhaps 8th in line. We had made it! There was a man and a woman just ahead of us who also appeared mother and grown son speaking Spanish. The woman, looking at the stack of merchandise said, "Hay un mont籀n!" Looking at the long line, I thought, "No hay tanto!" We chatted briefly and she told us that they were from Springfield and for 8 years she has gone to Walmart on the day after Thanksgiving, but that the atmosphere at Springfield was much crazier, so they came to Amherst this year. After just a few moments, we came to the front of the line, paid, and walked away with two little boys' dreams in a bag. I know, I know. I just know that it was a small price to pay so that two little boys will be really happy on Christmas morning.