CHERYL WARNING: This is a warning about Cheryl and why you should never let her know you like something.
It starts last September when I mention that I want a Celtic-knot-looking gold toe ring like the one she has and she informs me that they’re on sale so off we go. While in fine jewelry, I spy this gorgeous opal-and-tanzanite ring in yellow gold. All the fine jewelry is on sale, plus the ring is on clearance. It fits me perfectly and I want it badly, but September is the month my car tag is due, auto insurance renews, various out-of-cycle bills come in and I just don’t want to spend the money. Nor do I want to charge it - I’m funny about debt. But I want it. And the ring, which was over $600 originally, can be mine for $151. I managed to leave the fine jewelry department but I was longing for that ring, and Cheryl could tell. Finally she says, “Okay, here’s the deal. We’re going to put it on my store card, because that will be an extra 10% off. And you can pay me back. You might as well, because if you don’t I’m just going to come back here and buy it for your birthday, and you know I can’t afford that right now.” Then she got rough with me and twisted my arm and stuff, so I gave in, that’s what we did, I paid her back and I love my ring.
Flash-forward to this week. I need to get a new comforter for my bed and I’ve been trying to think of a way to do it without spending a ton of money and redecorating the entire room. This is difficult, because I’m a ‘matchy’ sort of person. The current comforter, which is about 15 years old, matches the dust ruffle which matches the pillow shams which match the drapes which match the accent rug which matches the wallpaper border. All of the smaller stuff like throw pillows, drapery ties, finials, etc. match each other and various accent colors in the comforter, which matches the...you get the idea.
I decided that a comforter like the one Cheryl just bought for her downstairs guest room might work. It’s a lovely, shimmery sage green, which right now is the predominant accent color. Even if all the bed coverings have to go, this particular comforter would save me having to replace the wallpaper and rug, and maybe be okay with the drapes. So I call her up to ask if she minds me copying, and if not, where she got the comforter. The answer: J.C. Penney. Okay, great! There’s a Penney’s at the mall by my house. I have a vague plan to try to stop by there once I’m comfortable parting with the dough but as it's right after Christmas, right after Mom and Alan’s joint birthday, I’m not exactly wallowing in cash. (I know, I could call Title Max Title Pawn, but still...)
The next day, I’m at work with home decor far from my mind when I get a call from Cheryl. She is at the Penney’s near her house, having purchased me the comforter, the bed skirt and the pillow shams. “I HAD to go on and get it. It was on clearance so they might not have it at your mall, or still have it by the time you get by there. You can pay me whenever.”
My mom said, "It's just like with your daddy. You should know better than to ever let Cheryl know you want something. She'll only run straight out and get it for you."
I don’t know what I ever did to deserve such great friends, but damn, I’m glad I did it.
MONTOYA DELENDA EST!
It starts last September when I mention that I want a Celtic-knot-looking gold toe ring like the one she has and she informs me that they’re on sale so off we go. While in fine jewelry, I spy this gorgeous opal-and-tanzanite ring in yellow gold. All the fine jewelry is on sale, plus the ring is on clearance. It fits me perfectly and I want it badly, but September is the month my car tag is due, auto insurance renews, various out-of-cycle bills come in and I just don’t want to spend the money. Nor do I want to charge it - I’m funny about debt. But I want it. And the ring, which was over $600 originally, can be mine for $151. I managed to leave the fine jewelry department but I was longing for that ring, and Cheryl could tell. Finally she says, “Okay, here’s the deal. We’re going to put it on my store card, because that will be an extra 10% off. And you can pay me back. You might as well, because if you don’t I’m just going to come back here and buy it for your birthday, and you know I can’t afford that right now.” Then she got rough with me and twisted my arm and stuff, so I gave in, that’s what we did, I paid her back and I love my ring.
Flash-forward to this week. I need to get a new comforter for my bed and I’ve been trying to think of a way to do it without spending a ton of money and redecorating the entire room. This is difficult, because I’m a ‘matchy’ sort of person. The current comforter, which is about 15 years old, matches the dust ruffle which matches the pillow shams which match the drapes which match the accent rug which matches the wallpaper border. All of the smaller stuff like throw pillows, drapery ties, finials, etc. match each other and various accent colors in the comforter, which matches the...you get the idea.
I decided that a comforter like the one Cheryl just bought for her downstairs guest room might work. It’s a lovely, shimmery sage green, which right now is the predominant accent color. Even if all the bed coverings have to go, this particular comforter would save me having to replace the wallpaper and rug, and maybe be okay with the drapes. So I call her up to ask if she minds me copying, and if not, where she got the comforter. The answer: J.C. Penney. Okay, great! There’s a Penney’s at the mall by my house. I have a vague plan to try to stop by there once I’m comfortable parting with the dough but as it's right after Christmas, right after Mom and Alan’s joint birthday, I’m not exactly wallowing in cash. (I know, I could call Title Max Title Pawn, but still...)
The next day, I’m at work with home decor far from my mind when I get a call from Cheryl. She is at the Penney’s near her house, having purchased me the comforter, the bed skirt and the pillow shams. “I HAD to go on and get it. It was on clearance so they might not have it at your mall, or still have it by the time you get by there. You can pay me whenever.”
My mom said, "It's just like with your daddy. You should know better than to ever let Cheryl know you want something. She'll only run straight out and get it for you."
I don’t know what I ever did to deserve such great friends, but damn, I’m glad I did it.
MONTOYA DELENDA EST!
1 Comments:
DON'T TELL CHERYL! But don't you wish we could see into the future, and had bought those lovely deep mauve velvet throw pillows, with the sage green beading trims, we saw at Hobby Lobby? They would be perfect with the comforter and your drapes & border.....
SSSHHHH!
(and speaking of your Dad, when we went to pick out my leather coat from him for my birthday, I ended up with the trench coat as well as the hip-length jacket. Because 1) I liked/wanted both and 2) the two were less $$ at Burlington than the jacket was at Wilson Leather.
Sometimes his logic is comforting.)
MONTOYA DELENDA EST!
mom
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