The Busiest Christmastime of the Year

Chapter 3 - November 30

Ciara

Yesterday, when I was at the post office, waiting in line behind about twelve other people didn't seem too much of a struggle, but as I got to the front of the line after those people chose which letters to fulfill, most of the letters from the bin for individual recipients was halfway empty. The best thing I chose to do was pick three letters from that bin, and I read all three of them comprehensively. I may not be a multimillionaire, but I'm sure someone rich enough will pick some letters from the bin from families with four or more kids.

Right now, I am driving to a shopping plaza with some good shoe stores because one of the three letters I picked had a teenage boy requesting two pairs of high-top basketball sneakers.

Once I found the plaza, I carefully parked my car in between a convertible car and a gray crew van. I took my car keys out, as well as my three chosen letters held together with a paper clip, and carefully opened the door so I didn't accidentally hit the convertible car.

I began to walk through the plaza to find any good shoe stores that sold high-top sneakers. After a little while of walking, I came across a store named, The Footwear Warehouse. Perhaps this store was ideal for the type of sneakers Bryson was requesting for. By the way, Bryson is the name of the teenager who wanted two pairs of basketball sneakers.

I entered The Footwear Warehouse, and it didn't seem too busy at this hour, as there were probably ten other shoppers, including me.

One of the store's employees recognized me and came up to me. She said that she had visited my diner before, and she said that I'm the greatest cook after she ordered her usual, favorite meal at least five times: a Denver omelet with a side of salmon. Also, whenever she wanted to order a dessert, bread pudding was her usual, favorite dessert, as well. (I mean, don't all diner workers have at least one customer who always gives five-star reviews?)

The employee asked how she can help me with my shopping, but I told her I didn't need any help. Next, she asked me why I had the three letters attached with a paper clip. I told her that I was participating in the Mega Worldwide Postal Agency's Operation Gift Cheer program and that I was being like a Secret Santa to purchase gifts for some kids and teenagers.

After that explanation, the employee allowed me to continue my shopping.

I was in the aisle for shoes for tweens and teenage boys trying to find the types of sneakers that were Bryson's size, but he forgot to mention his shoe size in his letter. I decided to make a little guess of what his foot size would be, so I was thinking that the sneakers I should buy should be about nine.

I found the shelves with all the sneakers ranging from size 9 to size 12, and I checked through some of the boxes to look for the perfect shoes for Bryson.

In one box, the sneakers inside were dull purple. Their original price was $77.92, but they were on a 21% discount, so their price right now is $61.56. Now, I was going to find a second pair of sneakers for Bryson.

Through that same aisle, I found a box with shoes that are sized 10 1/2. As I lifted the lid, the shoes inside were saffron with some purple star decals on them. Fortunately, those shoes' original price was $82.14, and for a 21% discount, their price now is $64.89.

Since there were no other items on Bryson's wishlist, I chose to buy two extra gifts for him. I found a reusable water bottle and a bandana, and I stacked them on top of the two shoeboxes I was holding. Then, I proceeded to the checkout.

After the cashier scanned everything I bought, the total price was $146.42. (The reusable water bottle's price was $11.99, and the bandana's price was $7.98. They were at normal price.) As I paid for all four of Bryson's gifts, the cashier put all of them into a sturdy paper bag.

Then, I left The Footwear Warehouse and waved 'goodbye' to the cashier.

Once I found a bench, I put down the bag on it, took out a permanent marker from my jacket's pocket, and put a checkmark on Bryson's letter. Now that the items on Bryson's wishlist -- including the two extra gifts -- were purchased, I was ready to fulfill a Christmas wish from a 26-year-old woman named Brendalynn.

On Brendalynn's wishlist, the items she is requesting all have one thing in common: they are different clothes. She was requesting a lime-green cape dress; a white, long-sleeved shirt with a striped necktie; a lavender pencil skirt; and a pair of golden espadrilles. I hope there are discounts available for any of the things Brendalynn asked for, as I've already spent more than $140 on Bryson's gifts.

I was walking throughout the plaza until I found a store named Fab Fashion Boutique. Once I went inside the store, I was heading the section for the different dresses.

As I was looking for a lime-green cape dress, I noticed a woman with a hair comb hairpin with a row of pearls in her hair, and she seemed somewhat familiar to me. Once I approached that woman, she turned her head around and noticed me, meaning I looked familiar to her.

To my surprise, that woman wearing the hair comb hairpin was Brendalynn, who was that twelfth grader from my high school when I accidentally dropped that sequined journal in her spaghetti. I was flabbergasted, so I just walked away from her in complete silence. But then, Brendalynn wanted to chat with me and ask me what my life has been like ever since we saw each other in high school.

I told her my life after high school was feeling okay, and I told her all about my diner and how I enjoyed my job there. Speaking of my diner, Brendalynn said she has never visited it before, so she asked me for its address so she can go there the next time she wants to eat outside.

Once Brendalynn opened her phone's Notepad app, I told her the diner's address, and she typed it and took a screenshot. And, if she wants to order her favorite food via her cell phone, I told her to download the app Quick Caterer.

Luckily, Brendalynn told me she downloaded Quick Caterer since this year's June, and she has ordered various foods from other diners, restaurants, bistros, and buffets.

Before I could continue shopping, Brendalynn asked me why I was holding three sheets of paper attached to a paper clip.

I did not want to spoil the surprise for Brendalynn since I was fulfilling the wishes from her letter, so I told her that the papers were just three separate shopping lists. With an awkward grin on my face, I continued to shop.