What is black Friday and why should I care?
Black Friday has only been celebrated in recent years. It commemorates an event that almost doomed the Pilgrims. As the Pilgrims approached the new land, still a mile offshore of Plymouth Rock, all three of their ships, the Nena, the Pinto, and the Santa Rudolpho, ran aground at low tide onto a sandbar. It was really a mud bar, but they were always called sandbars back then.
A big storm was approaching, and if caught on the mud bar, their ships would be torn apart. The situation looked real bad. Their leader, Miles Standish, was called upon to save them. He went to the bow, looked down at the water, looked at the thee ships fast aground, then looked up to the heavens and shouted "A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS!"
Nothing happened. He walked around the deck, looking East, West, North and South. Still fast aground. He yelled to the heavens again "A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS!"... still nothing. The skies were darkening and the wind was picking up. They were in great danger.
One of the worried Pigrims whispered to another "get Standish's cousin, the
other Miles, up on deck to give it a try". So the
other Miles came up on deck and tooted a horn to the heavens. The ships rocked slowly from side to side, and suddenly they were free!
One sailor was heard to remark "that Miles Davis blows a wicked horn!"
The three ships made it to the landing at Plymouth Rock just in time. The
Friday was the day, the
Black was the mud that held them back.
Centuries later, we celebrate their victory with the offering of green, and the collection of worthless trinkets.
And Miles Davis
did blow a mighty wicked horn.
Once I regained the power of speech I politely and very clearly communicated my opinion of that insane price, which stood my hair on end. They had no cheaper off-brands displayed. After walking throughout the store we left (without the cord, obviously).
