Black Friday

                             WHAT IS THIS THING" CALLED BLACK FRIDAY"
                                                   Well it is NOT THE DOG!
   Of course like many things, to rationally discuss Black Friday could place you in a group of people who love the "modern "something for nothing group, or the "nothing is free" buy now pay later group'. I suppose both of the groups are true in one way or another
   I, being born during the depression and now being (at least in thought) a member of the (Black Friday) group Vicariously, I often which group I enjoyed the most?
   My first thought was that I cannot really judge that, because they were different, different places and many different people?
    The name "Black Friday" actually took hold in the 1950's and was an immediate hit for the merchants.
   I even broke down and bought my first car in the 1950"s. and so did many other people who were just trying to get there lives together after the War.
   Well back to Black Friday!!
   Advertising told us we could "buy it now and pay for it later. Almost anything was fair game. You could fight your way to be first into the store, fight your way to the check stand and if you were the first one in line it was FREE-- /well maybe?
   One of the big come-on's was, come on buy it now and keep it a month. If you don't like it bring it back.
   I keep digressing? Back to "Black Friday." Is it all bad?--In my opinion "NO". However perhaps we could find a better name for it--to me somehow Black and Friday do not seem names to ring in the Christmas Season with!
   Actually I remember the Beginning of Christmas a lot better than I do BLACK FRIDAY. with all the rushing, trying to get in and out, people shoving, trying to get in and out of traffic, some people actually fighting. Then there are the people who seemed to have been born, just to be rude. And No I am not a SCROOGE.
   I love the family groups, that mingle together in their own neighborhoods , sing carols and tell stories. We have a family group who have come caroling for years and I think the are more people than myself that wait each year for them?
   Well this started out as an epistle on Black Friday and I guess and perhaps for me to vent about a lot of things I miss about the Christmas season
   And of course NOW you pick almost anything you want, order it, pay for it by phone, have it delivered to your home, pay for it in advance and start looking for another item to buy.
   Somehow Black Friday does not make me feel all fuzzy and tingly, especially when it is tied so much  with Our Savior Jesus Christ. .

IT WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

       IT WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

          IT WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (ALMOST)

It was the night before Christmas

And all through the house

old Max was tipping over everything,

while chasing a big mouse.

The Dad of the house, usually serene,

had turned into a Monster, who was very mean.

He swung at the mouse with an Andiron Poker,

which turned the fire place into a great big smoker.

By now Max was chastised, his head between his legs.

It looked like forgiveness. He had stated to beg?

Then the back door flew open, and in stomped Meg.

Tell me I am in the wrong house she started to beg.

Grandpa set by the TV asleep, so it seems.

Then one eye popped open, and he let out a scream.

“Where is my Jitterbug, the phone that I love.”

“Meg said, Look out Gramp, it’ falling from above”.

As the phone hit the floor, with its incessant ring

Someone said,  “turn off that blasted thing”!

Meg. hurrying, stumbled and fell on her nose,

And now there was red stuff all over her clothes.

There was a large BOOM and the door did fall.

Then the people inside started to yell.

The police told Meg it was not blood, just cranberries.

The door rang again and Meg. Answered it and yelled----

  DAD IT’S THE HOME TEACHER’S!!!!!

W.R.Baldwin  Nov. 2019