"We're in a communist country"

It's interesting to me who you meet in line.

This lady in line at Office Depot today let me know that we are in a communist country because all creativity and individualism is lost. Her beef started because she had to spend $6 on a red, 3-subject notebook with pockets.

This was tax-free weekend. The state has designated the weekend before school starts the time to buy supplies without paying taxes. Nice idea. And we certainly took advantage of it. So did most of the state's 3 million other residents.

But the woman did have a small point. As soon as you walk into all the stores, there are stands with lists from all the area schools. The lists detail what supplies are required for each school. Caiden's list requires her to have about 25 items, including a red 3-pronged pocket folder and a green one. Not yellow. Not blue. Not with cute, little kittens. One red. One green.

We have also spent the last two days scouring for clear, plastic rulers, Fiskar scissors, 2" white plastic binders with clear overlays, washable markers, one black pen and one blue pen, a zipper pencil bag with 3 holes. So I get the woman's point.

This lady also sent her child running back into the store from the checkout line 3 times because she found items in the Sunday ad for free stuff. She told me that since she was being required by the government to buy all this stuff that she might as well get something out of it.

Her tirade against government interference in her life got me thinking about how fun it was when I was a kid to do back-to-school shopping. Cool folders, new notebooks, colorful pencils with lots of different designs. I always liked the swirly ones. Pinks and blues.

During this trip, Caiden kept picking out folders with princesses and kittens on them. But they weren't on our required items list, so I had her put them back. Well, once we finally found everything and made it to the register to pay, I noticed the Sunday ad.

A free backpack with a purchase of $40 or more. I was certainly paying $40 or more. Hmmm?
What the hell?
I sent Caiden running for a pink one.