My new percolator is perking away in the kitchen, and all is right in the world. There were some tense moments yesterday, some consternation and fraying of nerves. All that has passed now with my Amazon prime delivery. The twenty first century is amazing! I was up early just to put on a pot. In my house a pot is still something you put water in, you hope it doesn't start smoking. I plugged that in, and a bright red light came on indicating it was heating. When it had finished perking the light turned a bright blue, a miracle of twenty first century technology. I saw that switch and memories of the blue light special at K-mart flashed before my eyes. I rushed toward the light. It's almost a religious experience, I knew salvation was close at hand. The aroma, the sight of that dark brown liquid with just a wisp of steam rising up brings joy to my heart and my world. Drawn like the proverbial moth to the flame it is irresistible.
Pouring a cup for my wife and for myself I am satisfied the crisis has passed. I tell her about the blue light. Then I'm thinking that Walmart or Target any of the big stores should bring that back. I quickly realize what a bad idea that would be in today's world. Turn on that light and surely a mass of people would turn into a pitchfork and torch bearing mob bent on getting the deal! Like the crowds that fought for the Cabbage patch kids, chaos would surely follow. What with online shopping, and all the apps for that, luckily the blue light isn't a necessity anymore. It's all sales, all the time. There are browser extensions scouring the web for the best deals every time you log on. It wasn't that long ago when the blue light was turned on to attract the browser! The times they are a'changin'. I received my new percolator about 14 hours after I ordered it. I could track when the order was placed, when it was shipped, out for delivery, and was notified when it was delivered! Reassurance was at hand every step of the way.
What a world we live in. Every product imaginable is literally at your fingertips. A few keystrokes and it can be on the way. The browser searches for the best deal, you can earn points, cash back and even apply those savings to future purchases. There are offers to just finance everything too, easy payments plans where you can choose the duration of the loan. Just press the button and it's yours! It's only a matter of time before the government will have a program to pay off your Amazon loans. Hey, it would be discriminating to only pay off student loans, the working class people need help too! And you certainly shouldn't have to pay for that laptop or big screen television, you are entitled to them. It is just basic human dignity. Why it would be social oppression if they didn't. We'll have the rich people pay for all that.
Yes, we sure have come a long way since the day of mail order. Montgomery Ward was the very first one. It was a single sheet of paper and included clothing and household goods. With the advent of the modern mail system others soon followed. Sears and Roebuck and J C Penney among the leaders. Smaller outfits still operate today with those little catalogues you get in your mailbox. Fingerhut leads the pack in that department. Booklet sized pamphlets offering all manner of goods and all easily financed. All the stuff you used to find in the 5&10 stores right in your mailbox. That stuff can also be found in every Dollar General and Family Dollar store in America. You have to go to Walmart or Walgreens for the "as seen on tv" products, generally speaking. Chia pets have endured over the decades and remain a staple in any of those catalogues. I still have my Obama chia, a true collectable.
I can't imagine my Christmas as a child without mail order. I knew that Santa didn't really live at the north pole, he lived in Chicago. Chicago was the headquarters for Sears and Roebuck and J C Penney was in New York city. Macy's in New York City paid for Santa to be in their store. Even Santa needed a side hustle. He sent the orders back to Chicago. The rest of the year I'm not certain what he was doing but Sears delivered year-round! It was exciting to thumb through the pages circling the things you wanted hoping mom or dad would see that. I remember well sitting at the kitchen table and choosing school clothes. The latest styles were always available. Sometimes I got to pick the color, seldom did I get to pick the style. I did hear, you ain't going to school looking like that! But the catalogue did provide hours of enjoyment and it never crashed. And of course, there was the revolving credit plan. I would point out how little that new bike was going to cost, only a few dollars a month! I could get a job and pay that, really, you wouldn't have to pay a thing, trust me. I can't remember a time that ploy actually worked but I do remember trying.
It sure is easier today to run up the bill. Without delay you can order a product and it is on the way. No time to reconsider. It was different when you had to write it all down. You had to fill out the form, filling in the product number and description. It made you pay closer attention to just what you were doing. No problem with that today, just click and go. Just defer that payment until a later time. Next payday is fine, it will be automatically withdrawn so you don't even have to think about it. How convenient is that? Want a reminder though, no problem, there's an app for that. Yes, it is a wonderful world indeed. Like Christmas every day. No need for Santa or a magic sled, we have Amazon prime.
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