Black Friday Plus One

On Black Friday November 28, 2025. I awoke at 5:55am. My alarm went off at 6am. I rose from bed and shower, then packed my bag to catch the 7:38 Montauk train. The sun had yet to rise over Brooklyn. Thirty minutes passed fast. I was ready to go. Not quite. I couldn't find my phone. I was alone. No one to help me find it. I have a favorite adage.

"You can never find something, if you are looking for it."

I couldn't find my phone. It was here. Someplace and the clock on the wall was ticking. No logner 6:30, but 6:41. The Atlantic Terminal was a twenty-three minute walk over Front Greene Park. I heard a ring. My phone was under a stack of photos. I stuck it in my pocket and ran downstairs. 6:51am. The B54 hauled into the station and I rode it down Myrtle Avenue to the Brooklyn Hospital. 7:01am. I double marched to the terminal. Ten paces at a run. Twenty paces at a fast walk. 7:29.

At Ali's coffee stand I spent $5 for a coffee, buttered bagel, and bottle of water. The first money spent on Black Friday. Downstairs at the LIRR ticket booth I give Jessie cash for a one-way ticket to Montauk. $15.75 with the senior discount. A sunny three-hour ride to Montauk. ETA 10:58 ETA. Richie Boy drives me to the store at 771 Montauk Highway. I get us coffees at Something Good, which we call something expensive. $10 cash for two small cups. Lunch $8 for a slice and a can of Root Beer. Cash.

And that completed my spending for Black Friday. The kickoff day for the Christmas consumer frenzy of gluttony inspired by the feeding fest of Thanksgiving.. Nothing bought from the Amazon, no visit to the mall, no use of the ATM card, nothing purchased other than food and travel.

Not so my fellow countrymen who topped 2024's Black Friday spending by 9% with a total of $11.8 billion. According to AI More than 87.3 million people shopped online in the U.S., while 81.7 million shopped in physical stores or almost 50% of the US population found themselves glutting on widescreen TVs, slave-made sneakers, clothing and corporate items, although part of the increase can be attributed to 47's tarriffs on foreign imports and the increase in inflation due to his economic chaos, even worst was poeple recognition that there wasn't anyting new to buy. Just the same old same old. Still they loyally reacted to the constant barrage to buy from the TV ads like sheep led to the slaughter.

Americans will spend an average of $274 this holiday season. I will spend more, but not in the USA. My family is in Thailand. I will sent them $$$. The can spend it as they want. It is the season of cheer.

ps my total expenditures for Black Friday amounted to $23. It was best I could not do on Black Friday 2025. Always the beach bum.