** UPDATED ** Walmart Black Friday Incident (Finally! The Whole Story!)

**UPDATE**
I tried using the Walmart Gift Card. It didn't work! I talked with ANOTHER manager (no, not the one I refuse to talk to - - the one from the "incident") and he checked it out. Apparently the magnetic strip on the card was defective . . . they loaded the amount on another card that they claim is a good one. We will see . . .


Yes, I promised a LONG time ago to write about the Walmart Black Friday incident. A LONG time ago. But I have very good reasons for not getting back to it until now. REALLY I do.

Dad had cataract surgery on his left eye. Simple enough procedure, and he planned on being with us for 2-3 days until his vision returned to where he could drive home again.

BUT - - you know what they say about the "best-laid plans" . . . so of course it didn't go as expected . . . Dad caught a virus in that eye following surgery. So instead of 2-3 days, what followed was a week of doctor's rechecks, and numerous eye drops put in (some 3 times a day, some as many as 7 times a day). Add to that being called out of town one day for work (leaving town at 6 AM)(I am NOT a fan of getting up at 4 AM!!) and everything else happening (including Holiday preparations) . . .

Well, it set me back a bit, okay?

But I'm here NOW, so let's get on with the story of the Walmart Black Friday Incident:

Mr. Dizzy and I were looking through the ads in the Thanksgiving Day paper, seeing if there were any big special deals that would actually be able to entice us to get up at the ungodly hour of 4:00 AM, and trek through the stores fighting the Black Friday crowds. We didn't see anything, so decided not to go anywhere. However, that is the point where FATE steps in and decides to change things up for us . . . *sigh*

Our daughter-in-law called and said that since we got the grandboys a Wii for Christmas, she was wanting to get them some games to start them out with. However, she had to be at work at 6 AM and wouldn't get off until 2:30 PM (can you see where this is going?), would we be able to go to Walmart and try to get some of the games they had on sale for $7 each? And Menard's had the Wii controller bundles (6 controllers per bundle) for $5 each. Could we help her out?

*sigh*

Yeah, guess we're hitting the stores early.

We got to Walmart at 4:45 AM, and it was a madhouse. People pushing and shoving and vying to get in a good position to start tearing into the stacks of goods as soon as they announced it was 5 AM. Mr. Dizzy and I fought our way through to Electronics, me with store flyer in hand, and asked where the $7 sale Wii games were. Not in Electronics - - they had been set up in GROCERY, all the way at the other end of the store.

*sigh*

Fought our way through the crowds to Grocery. Halfway there, they announced it was 5 AM, and bedlam hit. People were pushing, shoving, grabbing things . . . the Walmart staff could do nothing but back away and try to keep out of harm's way.

We finally made it to Grocery, and asked where the sale games were, and were directed around the corner to where the displays were set up. Lots of DVD's; don't see any games. Ask a third person, who pointed to where the displays were. Okay - - no signs, but LOTS of games. We found 3 that we liked, and AGAIN asked (just to make sure) that these WERE the $7 games. We were told yes, they were.

So we headed up front to the checkouts, and stood in line for a l-l-l-o-o-o-n-n-n-g-g-g time . . . finally it was our turn. The cashier rang up the games - - they rang up at $25 each. Told her NO, they were $7 each. She tried again - - $25 each. Um, no. Just NO. She called for someone to take one and check (mind you, we are holding up a very HOSTILE line of people at this particular lane). The person came back and said the Manager she asked checked with Electronics and they were $25 each. Um, NO. They were NOT in Electronics; radio back to Grocery and ask THEM. No, they would not do that.

We cancelled the sale and left the lane. And THAT is when the REAL FUN began.

Before we left, we stopped a Manager by the Customer Service area and asked to speak to her. We explained the situation. She said she was the one who checked with Electronics and that the games were $25 each. We told her again they were NOT in Electronics; she needed to radio someone in Grocery and ask THEM. She said she would not do that; she also implied that we were lying, and that we were trying to get full-price games for the sale price. I was LIVID! Mr. Dizzy had to literally pull me away from this woman, or I think I would have hurt her.

How dare you accuse me of trying to do that?

We left the store, drove to Best Buy, and found very helpful people who directed us to the sale games, helped us find the ones we wanted - - and it was a completely different experience.

While Mr. Dizzy was in line at Best Buy, I trekked on down to Menard's in time for their 6 AM opening. At 6:03 AM, I grabbed the LAST TWO Wii Controller Bundles on the display. AND earned a very dirty look from the woman right next to the display for doing that - - but did I care? NO, I DID NOT. Why, you ask? Well, two reasons - - 1) They were for my grandsons; and 2) SHE ALREADY HAD 8 OF THEM IN HER CART. So yeah - - screw you, lady.

Headed back down to Best Buy, picked up Mr. Dizzy, and home we went. We were back and finished by 6:20 AM. And totally wiped out.

I was still pretty vexed about the Walmart situation, so I got onto walmart.com and wrote an e-mail describing the incident in great, vivid detail. Monday afternoon, a manager from our Walmart store called to talk to me. She fell all over herself apologizing for the situation. And she also gave me a $50 Walmart Gift Card that I could pick up at the Customer Service counter next time I was in the store!

So, all in all, it did have a decent ending.

BUT - - I will NEVER, EVER go to Walmart first thing on Black Friday. EVER AGAIN. (Nope, not even for my grandsons)