My best shopping experience–EVER! by Lynn Lovegreen

 

I’m not a big shopper. For most of my life, I didn’t have the money to make it a habit, and I have enough souvenirs and knick-knacks. My small stature makes buying clothes a hassle. It’s hard to find something that fits, and I lose patience after the second or third try-on. But I did have one shopping experience that was surprisingly easy.

 

A few winters ago, my husband and I were traveling to see family in California. Unfortunately, on one of our stops, someone stole the luggage out of the trunk of our rental car. (I’ll spare you the details of how that happened, but I do remind you to make sure your car is locked before you walk away from it.) All our clothes and toiletries were gone. The worst part was, my Bruce Springsteen concert t-shirt was in my suitcase. And of course it was a limited edition print. I’m still mourning that loss. But back to my story:

 

When we arrived at my sister-in-law’s house, we discovered our bad news. She volunteered to take us shopping. First, we hit a drug store for toothbrushes and all that stuff. No problem. Next, we went to a department store. I thought, here we go. They won’t have anything that fits. 

 

Surprise! They had a good petite section! I took a quick mental inventory of what I lost and went to it. I didn’t want to waste my vacation dithering about colors or styles, so went for classic stuff I knew I could wear. I grabbed a couple pairs of jeans, two t-shirts, a flannel shirt, and packs of socks and underwear. I’d need to hem or roll up the jeans, but that wasn’t a big deal. I even found a fleece vest for breezy days. I was finished in less than an hour. My sister-in-law was amazed at my quick decision making and speed in trying on clothes. I was happy to be done with it and go on with life. 

 

Maybe one day I’ll enjoy lingering over items in a boutique, artsy gift shop, or other fancy place. But I’d rather spend time in a bookstore. Now, that’s my kind of shopping!

 

Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for most of her life. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering for her local library. Her young adult historical romance is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.