A Trip to Target, New-York-Style

Well, I think I was being overly optimistic on Friday about getting in a museum and bike ride this weekend. My big excursions (when I did leave the apartment and all its boxes) were to Target and Container Store.

I had looked online and found that the closest Target stores are in Jersey and Brooklyn. I haven't yet ventured into Jersey, and since I've been to a part of Brooklyn before, I felt more comfortable with that location. I took the subway there, and when I emerged from underground, I thought, "now which way should I go?" I don't have a good map of Brooklyn, and although I had the address, I wasn't sure if it was right or left from the subway station. I decided to just pick a route and hope to figure it out. I turned the first corner, and there was Target across the street! I laughed at my good fortune.

This Target is in a mall, so strange to me, and is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors. To accommodate for this, they have an escalator especially for shopping carts!!! I was amazed, having never seen such a commodity, and I admit that I had to pull my camera out of my bag and take a quick pic! (I'm sure I looked either horribly touristy or like I was investigating this Target store.) Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for this sight, because I forgot my camera cord today. (I don't yet have internet access at home.)

I had to get several heavy items at Target, including cat food, laundry detergent, stain remover, fabric softener, glass cleaner, etc. I tried to get the smallest ones of each of these, knowing I would be carrying them back to Manhattan. I even decided not to get a few things, delaying them for a future trip, to try and limit the weight.

The lines at checkout were unbelievably long. Fortunately, I had a book with me for reading on the subway, so I just read while I stood in line. It took 50 MINUTES for me to checkout. FIFTY! But, what else could I do? I needed these items, and they would cost several dollars more at the local drug store near my apartment.

Oh, those bags were heavy! I stopped at each red light and put them down to give my poor, purple fingers a break. I was glad to get a break on the subway, but not looking forward to carrying them the rest of the way home. As I was nearing home, some frustratingly slow tourists were in front of me. I felt like shouting, "Excuse me!!!! My fingers are about to fall off here! Move the F*$# out of the way!" (I resisted the urge.) My back was starting to hurt, too. Finally, exhausted, I walked into my building, and the friendly doorman said, "Would you like some help?" I gladly handed the bags over to him, and he carried them the rest of the way to my door.

The whole trip took 2 hours. What an excursion! Back in Dallas, when I owned a car, I could get to Target and back home in 20-30 minutes.