2008 Woodie Awards
Pomicpic's Picks
Tales from Target, a bankruptcy bull's-eye
Casey Pomicpic
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Features
So there I stood, swiping my debit card at the check stand, wondering how on earth I had managed to rack up a bill of $67.34. I had come to Target to purchase only two items, face wash and Lysol wipes. As I paid, it appeared as if once again I had been hit by the "Target Curse."
Every time I go to Target I give myself the tunnel vision pep talk. You know the one that goes something like: "I'm just going to run in, grab the essentials, and make my way out of the store as quickly as possible." Well, unfortunately, I have full mobility of my neck and any attempt to travel directly toward my desired item is ruined by a quick look to the left or right.
As I beelined toward the Neutrogena isle, I made the mistake of turning my head about 45 degrees to the left. Suddenly, I was captured by the most adorable pink and orange floral stationary I had ever seen, calling to me from the shelf as if it were meant to be mine. I tried to convince myself that I did not need these cards of mass produced artwork. Who would I really send them to? Do I even send mail that often? Nobody and no are the answers to those questions, but I could not imagine life without this stationary. What if one time I need to send a card to someone for some reason, and I don't have the proper resources?
My purchasing dilemma was cut short when I remembered why I was in Target in the first place. Face wash, I had come here simply to buy face wash. Realizing that it was time to move on, I threw the stationary into my basket and continued to make my way through the store.
Once I dropped the bottle of face wash on top of the stationary, I headed to the isle of cleaning products where I breathed a sigh of relief. All I needed to do was grab a pack of Lysol wipes and I was good to go, with minimal collateral damage. But as I left the Health & Beauty section, I realized that in a few weeks I would run out of mascara, and well, since I was in Target now, I might as well purchase a new tube and save myself a future trip.
Every time I go to Target I give myself the tunnel vision pep talk. You know the one that goes something like: "I'm just going to run in, grab the essentials, and make my way out of the store as quickly as possible." Well, unfortunately, I have full mobility of my neck and any attempt to travel directly toward my desired item is ruined by a quick look to the left or right.
As I beelined toward the Neutrogena isle, I made the mistake of turning my head about 45 degrees to the left. Suddenly, I was captured by the most adorable pink and orange floral stationary I had ever seen, calling to me from the shelf as if it were meant to be mine. I tried to convince myself that I did not need these cards of mass produced artwork. Who would I really send them to? Do I even send mail that often? Nobody and no are the answers to those questions, but I could not imagine life without this stationary. What if one time I need to send a card to someone for some reason, and I don't have the proper resources?
My purchasing dilemma was cut short when I remembered why I was in Target in the first place. Face wash, I had come here simply to buy face wash. Realizing that it was time to move on, I threw the stationary into my basket and continued to make my way through the store.
Once I dropped the bottle of face wash on top of the stationary, I headed to the isle of cleaning products where I breathed a sigh of relief. All I needed to do was grab a pack of Lysol wipes and I was good to go, with minimal collateral damage. But as I left the Health & Beauty section, I realized that in a few weeks I would run out of mascara, and well, since I was in Target now, I might as well purchase a new tube and save myself a future trip.