O-Mart
By Geoff Porter




     "It's a perfect plan."

     "Yes. 160 super centers open next week in the States, another 50 in Europe, and one in Beijing . How many computers are online?"

     "Because of the nature of the software we don't have an accurate count, at least 30 million worldwide."

     "Excellent. You're certain we can advertise multiple product lines?"

     "The datagram should handle thousands, but it's never been tested with more than a dozen or so."

     "Excellent." * * *

     The phone rang and Jen figured it was the school. She had forgotten to call them when Billy was sick that morning and couldn't attend. Her boss had read her the riot act already and she was expecting no less from the school. She answered it, "Hello?"

     Lisa said, "Jen! O-Mart opens today! Take off work!"

     "Billy is sick, Lisa. I could care less if a new super center opens."

     "Pawn him off on Jackie and come shopping with me!"

     "He's sick. Jackie doesn't want him."

     "Call her at least."

     "Just because she lives next door and is retired. I don't like to push my responsibilities off on her."

     "Billy is a wonderful kid, and Jackie adores him. She won't mind, and you know it. You never did tell me how she retired at 35."

     "She worked two jobs and made shrewd investments. I'll call her."

     "Then we can go to O-Mart! Meet me there, they open at ten."

     Jen hung up the phone and rang Jackie.

     Jackie answered, "Hi."

     Jen said, "I have a huge favor to ask."

     Jackie said, "Do tell."

     "Billy is sick, and my friend Lisa wants me to go to the stupid O-Mart opening with her."

     Jackie said, "He's not puking is he?"

     "No. It's just a real bad head cold with a cough. I gave him a Tylenol, and he's playing video games."

     "Is he bringing his console or do I have to entertain him?"

     "Up to you. He needs lots of fluid and plenty of rest."

     "OK. Drop him off whenever you like."

     "Thanks, Jackie, I owe you one."

     "You owe me a hundred and fourteen, last I checked."

     Jen smiled, "Thanks again, Jackie."

     The phone clicked off and Jen went and got Billy ready. They loaded his backpack with comic books. Jen walked him next door and Jackie answered the door with a cookie in hand for him. Jen drove to O-Mart, and the parking lot was full. She parked across the street at the mall and looked in awe at the line stretching from O-Mart's front doors to the side of the building.

     Jen started looking at the front of the line until she found Lisa and joined her. Everybody seemed to be in a haze of sorts: there was little talking in line, and everybody stood practically still except for their hands which they moved frantically between their pockets and their sides.

     The doors slid open promptly at 10:00 A.M. , and a mass of people milled forward like cattle into the store. Lisa grabbed a cart and they made their way down the main aisle. Lisa seemed hell bent on putting at least one of everything she saw in her cart. And O-Mart has big carts. Everything had a regular price and a sale price. The regular prices were outrageous and the sale prices were hardly better.

     Jen watched as Lisa grabbed a package of beef jerky and aimed it for her cart.

     Jen said, "That's a 3oz bag of jerky for six dollars! You can get 4oz bags at the gas station for that much, and it's a better brand at the gas station."

     "Six dollars is a good price, it's regularly eight. I don't want to make two stops."

     "That beef jerky was imported from China . It says 'cook thoroughly before consuming' on the package!"

     "In the olden days they used to cook their beef jerky over a fire before they ate it."

     "Because they didn't have a clue, Lisa!"

     "I'm getting it. I want to try it."

     Jen just shook her head and they walked on. Jen watched and everyone seemed hell bent on filling their carts up with every off brand product they could. They weren't bothering to read labels like you see people do in super markets. They didn't pause and look things over. They just grabbed and tossed into their carts. Jen and Lisa made it to the home entertainment section, and Lisa started 'ewwing' and 'ahhing' over digital television sets. All made by brands Jen had never heard of.

     Lisa smiled, "I think I want this one."

     "It is 31.5in, who ever heard of a 31.5in television? They measure TVs in inches not half inches."

     "It's perfect for my study."

     "Since when do you have a study?"

     "I'm thinking of taking over Mike's office, and we'll need a T.V."

     "You just got a new flatscreen a few months ago. This T.V. is over a grand."

     "It's state of the art."

     "How do you know?"

     "It says so right on the tag."

     "Tags have lied before, Lisa."

     Lisa smiled a blissful smile and said, "Not at O-Mart."

     Salespersons were nowhere to be found, but O-Mart had an automated checkout where you could order home delivery of home electronics and furniture by swiping your credit card. Lisa waited in line to use the checkout machine and ordered her new television.

     Lisa kept on shopping like mad, hitting the home appliances section next. She put a new toaster oven in the cart, a new coffee pot, and a new blender. Products were disappearing off the shelves: whole rows in the store had been wiped clean. Once Lisa's cart was overflowing they headed towards the lines. Dear God, the lines. Thirty carts deep every one and every cart filled to capacity.

     Jen said, "I'm not waiting in this line. I'm going to go."

     Lisa said, "You can't just leave me!"

     "Walk away from that cart full of junk, Lisa. It's all crap. None of it is made in America . Some of it is made in countries I've never even heard of."

     "The prices are so good!"

     "Five dollars for a jar of peanut butter is not a good price!"

     "It's chunky peanut butter!"

     "I'm leaving. Call me later."

     "Fine."

     Jen waded though the sea of carts until she reached the parking lot. Cars were zipping up and down the lanes of the lot looking for places to park. She walked across the street to the mall parking lot. She drove home and went to Jackie's house to pick up Billy. He seemed chipper enough.

     Jackie said, "I gave him half a decongestant a few hours ago. I hope you don't mind."

     "That's ok. Thanks, Jackie."

     "How was O-Mart?"

     "O-Mart was a madhouse, and their prices are outrageous."

     "OK. Bye Billy, come by anytime."

     Billy waved and grinned.

     Jen and Billy went home and they sat down in front of the television. After a few hours they flipped to CNN's coverage of O-Mart's opening day.

     CNN's correspondent, "O-Mart had blistering sales on their opening day. So much so that they have to close for a day of restocking. They're stock went up 47% in massive trading on the New York stock exchange. But, on a darker note, riots broke out in O-Marts across the country as they ran out of crucial items. In one Michigan store gunshots rang out briefly, no further updates on that."

     Then the CNN went to another story and another story. Then they started to cover the O-Mart story again when the correspondent changed and they said, "This just in, the US Attorney Generals office has accused O-Mart of distributing a hypnotic computer virus designed to lure shoppers in. An O-Mart spokesperson denounced that as insane propaganda fueled by their reliance on foreign products. It would be the first hypnotic software ever developed, and some top researchers say it could be done..."

This story was written for my English 256 Creative writing class taught by Tim Waggoner.

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