I Blame Oprah

I found myself this morning, on my day off, standing in line at 8:20 am for the Olympic Store to open. Never in my life have I done that. And the kicker is it was for mittens.

If you've been watching the coverage you will know them. They are red, with the Canadian flag's maple leaf on the palm and the Olympic rings on the back. Oprah opened a show wearing them last week. It would have been easier for me to be audience member to get them.

I didnt want to risk loaing my spot to go get coffee for the 45 minute wait. The line was a block long by the time the store opened at 9 am. The mittens were in a bin (given how quickly they sell out one might think that they would at least put them out on a table, but no) and EVERYONE was there at 9 for them. The limit on the number to buy has been reduced from no limit prior to the opening ceremonies (where was my head then?), to 4 last week, to 2 today. Eleni was not pleased with this news. People were pushing back and forth and crowding. We were all here for the same thing. I don't understand what happens to people on these situations. I have never been to Filene's Basement. I have not trained for this. I find myself unprepared. I was trying to be nice and disapproved of those who weren't. I actually had to tell a lady much older than me to "take it easy." Finally some nice man just started throwing out pairs to those of us in the back who couldn't reach. The hoarding still happened though, as people held onto what they grabbed. People clutched onto their booty, while eyeing others'. Negotiations began. "Anyone have a small for this large?" I slowly made my way to the second queue, this time for the cashier, to make my way out. I was out by 9:15. I rewarded my heroism with a banana-nutella crepe.

In the creperie, an older couple came in. The man was in shorts--chilly for that, I thought--and he was walking with the aid of hand crutches. I was sitting in the rear and gazed at the couple through the window. Once he made his way into the cafe, I noticed he had 2 prosthetic legs. With Paralympics on the collective Olympic brain, I did not think twice about it. What I did contemplate, however, was: Why bother with socks?