Cabbage Patch Dolls, Christmas and $70

I had a flashback this afternoon, and wrote this out while it was on my mind. Yes, it's summer (and right at 100 degrees outside), but the story is too good.

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When I was about nine, my mom took me and my sister (with another mom and kids) to KMart west. They used to have a little restaurant in the back, and we went to have breakfast with Santa Claus.

My mom knew someone who worked at KMart, and heard that a shipment of the most-valuable toy was in stock - Cabbage Patch Dolls! My sister (who was around three-years-old) definitely wanted/needed one, so we were on a mission.

Of course, the restaurant was roped off a bit (and it was before the store opened), so we couldn't really go into the toy section of the store. Someone, however, got the great idea of going to the restroom... afterall, a young mother with two little kids wouldn't do anything - right?

So, my mom took me and my sister to the "restroom," and we stopped in the toy section. Quickly, my mom grabbed two CPK dolls - a boy and girl. We hurried to the tire section (of all places) and stuffed them in a corner. Then, we went back and finished our breakfast with Santa Claus.

We were allowed to leave the restaurant just as the store was opening. You could hear the rush of people, and women were frantically dashing to the toy department. Meanwhile, we strolled to the tire section, got the dolls, and headed to the front door.

When we got to the cashier, we hit a snag. "Limit One CPK doll per person!" NO! My mom wasn't sure what to do... then she got brave. She handed be a $50 and a $20, and told me to go to a different lane and by the doll. I had been taught how to handle cash at restaurants by my parents (they always had me or, later, my sister go pay the bill), but a store was much different. So, I bravely stepped up to the cashier, and set the doll up on the counter.

The cashier asked me "Ummm, young man, how are you planning to pay for this?" I showed her the two twisted bills in my hand, and she asked me where my parents were. Somehow, deep within me, a story came out of my father working night shift (true), a sick baby sister (she had a cold) and my mom in the car hoping to get a very special present (almost true). The woman looked at me with a smirk, took the $70, gave me my change (which I had her count back), and put the doll in a bag. I grabbed the sack and held it tightly over my head, so it wouldn't drag the ground and get damaged. I went right out the door to meet my mom (who had been watching through the windows), and we were off to the car!

Later, we learned of friends who had been at the store and had been kicked and hit while trying to get a doll. Needless to say, my sister was happy, and Santa brought me what I wanted that year. I guess a few little lies were ok to bring some Christmas cheer to the Inman household!
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