Crop Night at Michael's

My best friend and I are on a first-name basis with, Robin, our local Michael's employee.  Robin teaches crafting classes part-time.  We are affectionately known at the store as, "Robin's $crapbook Ladies".   Behind our backs, management probably calls us "$uckers for a $ale" or "Our Job $ecurity".   

As mentioned before, I am a well-intentioned scrapbooker, short on follow-through.  Scrapbook paraphernalia manufacturers are onto me.  There's always some new gadget, or some blingy embellishment to add to those scrapbook pages I'll someday produce.  But the thing that gets me in the door is the lure of the "40% Off Any Regular Price Item" or "20% Off Entire Purchase" coupon.  Once in the store, my heart beats faster when I spy a yellow "Clearance" sticker.  It doesn't matter if I don't need it, probably won't use it.  It's on SALE! 

Is there a parallel here to angling?  The fisherman takes a sharp, shiny hook, covers it with a big juicy worm, then dangles it out there in front of the fish's face.  Do fishes have faces?  Sorry, my ADD is kickin' in.  The fish doesn't recognize he's about to get hooked and reeled in...that is unless I'm the one holding the fishing rod.  If you are a catch and release fisherman, I wonder how many times the same fish falls for the same bait, with the same result?

Well, our local Michael's has a new lure..$5 Crop Night.  I can go there and scrapbook, use some of their materials, and win a door prize (usually worth less than $5).  While I scrapbook, I can get anything I "need" from the store and pay for it at the end of the night with a...you guessed it, "coupon discount".  Oh, they are cunning; they realize human nature and the innate competitive spirit.  You look around the room and see your neighbor has a cool tool you don't have, or their page is blingier than yours.  Covetousness raises its ugly head.  It's a conspiracy!  My rationalization...Robin needs a full-time job, with benefits!

Copyright 2011 Charlotte Laney