Every once in a while, I like to skip church. I lead a highschool Sunday school class that I rarely miss but some times after Sunday school, Bev and I will slip out the back and start the rest of the day. This is a story about one of those days and how I learned something in the house of Target.
We love our Target store. Although last week, we dropped in and they had no envelopes on the shelf. What's going on Fishers? Somebody better let the postman know to get a larger bag. The people of Fishers have reverted to snail-mail. I had hoped that they would. I have found that snail mail is very therapeutic both in the writing and the reading. I made this discovery while writing my wonderful children a letter a week while they are away at college. So Ben and I are entering our fourth year of correspondence; Grace and I just our second year. Welcome aboard Fishers. Sometimes the old ways are the good ways; it is good of you to join us.
Back to Target; we love our Target Store. It is the super duper sized one. Three Sundays ago Bev and I slipped out of church early and headed over to Target for a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Having just passed the electronic, (my toy store) we are heading towards the grocery area to get some essentials with a side trip planned for small kitchen appliances to look at toaster ovens. Our toaster oven had died. Actually, the timer thingy had died so the lever wouldn't stay down allowing the wires to get hot. It would, but it required placing a heavy object on the lever holding it down. This required more concentration that I was prepared to give bread toasting. So rather than have the inevitable small kitchen fire, Bev and I decided to spend a few extra bucks and move up to a toaster oven.
We were making good progress along the back row; past the automotive, the sporting goods, the toys for boys and suddenly our way was blocked by a lovely two year old girl in the middle of the aisle all crumpled down on the floor in the deepest throes of despair; hugging the Disney Princess Castle.
And no wonder, "the Disney Princess Dollhouse is the quintessential princess castle that your little girl will love. With three stories, themed rooms and over 50 play pieces, this castle will bring her favorite fairytales to life." Their copy not mine. I know that you know that because you thought to yourself; "how would Roger know that the Disney Princess Dollhouse has over 50 play pieces?" I wouldn't. I swear, that I have never seen the quintessential princess castle in my life. Besides there's 53 pieces, but who's counting.
This little girl had seen it before though. Undoubtedly, this young family had relied on the Disney Channel to soothe the savage beast inside of this princess wannabe and Walt had taken the opportunity to show her how grand her favorite fairytales can be. There was the one where she meets her prince and he works to put her through med-school then as her practice takes off, she divorces him for a 21 year old Chip and Dale dancer with the cute cleft chin and that princely derriere. Or may be it is the fairy tale where you are blessed with ability to lip sync reasonably well, hair that bleaches blond well, and pushy parents that get you an audition. Your fairytale comes true and you get on a children's musical television show. Things go well for a while, but you get older and you figure out that you have to reach an edgier audience so you kiss Madonna on an awards show, have two kids, go nuts and have your mommy parts shown all over the internet because while your parents were fit enough to pimp you out at a young age and keep a close eye on your trust fund, they didn't have sense enough to teach you how to dress.
Don't get me wrong. I do not believe that Walt is the problem here. Walt is doing what he does; finding an audience, telling them that they have a need and then showing that he can fill it. If it weren't for Walt, 100 million Chinese prisoners wouldn't have anything to do while serving their prison sentences. Boring!
I am all for advertising to children during Saturday morning cartoons. I say wall to wall cocco puffs, lucky charms, and trix. If Life thinks that it can trick one or two future type A's into getting their parents to buy them Life cereal because it is good for them, more power to them. Kids need to see the wide variety of toys and sugary cereals available to them so they can make informed decisions in the Super Targets of America. You don't want to make the mistake to throw a tantrum for a worthless piece of crap that you will lose interest in a week later.
Stop advertising to children on Saturday morning or children's channels? No! Take away children's advertising and what’s next; banning testosterone supplement advertising on sports talk radio? Didn't we learn our lesson when we stopped cigarette advertising?
So, I missed church that Sunday. But church snuck up on me in Target that Sunday. This little girl was not puddled down on one of the side aisles. No, this was fairytales coming to life important. She had dragged the castle box out into the main aisle. The entire congregation could see her passion play; her tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. Her shrill cries carrying for many aisles, and then her dad did a wonderful, beautiful thing.
He knew that it wasn't about him. His daughter's behavior wasn't a reflection of his skills. He didn't jerk her up or act out for the benefit of those who might be disapproving of his parenting skills. No he walked over to her, got down on her level and said "I'm sorry hon. We can't get that. It's just too expensive. I wish we could but we can't." As she calmed, he said, "help me put it away." And while still very sad, she did.
No matter how badly we may want it or need it, we can't always get it.
Maybe later?
Sure. Maybe later.
Take care
Roger
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