First-World Problems

[thistlechaser]

Years back, I got a gift card to Borders. Even back then it wasn't a great gift for me; though I was still reading the dead tree version of books at the time, I was buying them all through Amazon. As I didn't much care about the card, I didn't keep track of where it was, and eventually lost it.

Fast-forward to a few months ago and news that Borders was going out of business. Well, I supposed I better find that card! Eventually I did. So, with it in hand, I stepped foot in a bookstore for the first time in ages.

Thankfully the store had non-book items, but nothing I wanted. There was a nice backpack, but I already have one I like and I rarely need to use it. I could get something as a gift, but I do all my gift shopping online so I don't have to deal with shipping. I considered some manga (there was a big section of it), but after I read it once I'd be stuck with the physical object.

I spent a good deal of time in the toy section, but even there was nothing I wanted. I was getting grumpy and annoyed, I just wanted to go. I tried to figure out if maybe I could just donate the card, but I had no way to get online and check (the one time I wanted a smart phone!). I almost gave it to a mother with three young boys, but I was afraid it would make me look like some kind of child predator or something.

Eventually I picked out a Lego toy (this one) because it came with a spiffy undead horse thingie (Edit: Which looks nothing like it does on the box. D: ). I ended up having to pay $2.30 in tax, which was really more than I would have paid for the set if I had thought about it, but I just wanted to be rid of the darned gift card.

I should clear off a spot on my desk so I can check the set out.

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

If that ever happens again, I think giving it to the mother as a Random Act of Kindness would've been awesome.

Alternatively? Find another local charity that might use it, like a battered women's shelter, because it frequently includes kids too. Or a public school, because god knows they're underfunded (and those kids are going to be the ones working to keep us in Social Security someday :).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Timing! Just on my flist tonight was a post from a teacher sad that Borders was going out of business because he got so much donated stuff for his classroom from some program of theirs.

And yeah, the more I thought about it tonight, the more I figured I should have just given the card to the mother. Next time!

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

(Borders itself isn't, yet, officially going out of business. Just some of the stores.)

Yay legos.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh! Okay, thanks. Still, I'm happy to be rid of the card and the Legos were kind of fun to build (though I ended up cramping up both hands from doing so much tiny little pieces work.)