COLUMBUS, Ohio, 25 November 2006 — It was Thursday, 10:30 p.m., 30 degrees Fahrenheit and falling. There were people bundled up in blankets, sitting on folding chairs, fast asleep in sleeping bags on the concrete ground. Best Buy, the electronic store was going to open at 5 a.m., but already there were about a hundred people in line, and more were pouring in.

It was no ordinary night. It was Thanksgiving, and the day after was when shops in the US slash prices to delirious lows, sending shoppers into a mad frenzy. It is called “Black Friday” a term that originated when retailers went from being unprofitable, or “in the red,” to being profitable, or “in the black”.

Best Buy was slashing prices on everything. But everyone Arab News spoke to in the queue said they were there for the laptops. Toshibas were slashed to $249, a saving of over $300! But only the first few would get the coupons to buy it. Nobody knew how many coupons would be given out. There were speculations. Some thought there would be at least 22, another man said, “ten” another, “maybe sixty.”

The first person in line was a woman who was wrapped up in a blanket sitting on a folding chair, and she was fast asleep. “She got here at five,” the man standing next to her said, “and I got here at 6:30 p.m.” He was visibly cold standing in line, but the thought of a bargain laptop excited him and it showed on his face. “Yes, it’s all worth it. I will save a bundle of money and I’m second in line so I will definitely get my laptop.”

Sabud, an Indian IT guy from Delhi was cold. Sitting on a chair, he wrapped his scarf around his face. He had his mother and wife in line too because he wanted to buy at least two laptops. “Last year I was in Minneapolis. It was cold and snowing, but I stood in line for three hours to buy a home theater system. I saved over $300.”

This was the 3rd time for Tony, who works at a retirement home and took three days off work to stand in line. Just weeks before he had stood for three days in line for a PlayStation 3. “I was second in line and was able to buy two for $300. I am selling one on eBay. I already have an offer for $900,” he said.

Tony said he didn’t mind standing and waiting, even though it was very boring, as he would save a lot of money. His brother had gone to the Micro Center to buy an Acer laptop computer for $199.

Mary was doing this for the first time. She had gotten here at eight and was only wearing a jacket and getting cold and uncomfortable; luckily for her, Jamie had just walked in with some extra blankets. Not only that, she had an extra chair. “I am quite comfortable now, I hope to save at least $1,000 today by buying a laptop and a few other things. I miss coffee but don’t drink it, or I will have to go to the bathroom, but nobody takes your spot if you tell them you need to go,” she said.

A man who refused to identify himself said, “Gosh if you write about us sitting outside at night in the cold, for a laptop, people will think we Americans are crazy, they already think we are nuts. But I thought about it this way, by sitting here, I’m saving $50 per hour, that’s worth my time.”

The youngest in the crowd were two 15-year-old friends, Herjier, of Iranian origin, and Matt. Both sat on folding chairs with snacks. Herjier said his parents had dropped him off. He had saved up money by mowing lawns and hoped to get a laptop. Matt said he too was going to get a laptop. He had saved money by delivering newspapers. Both said they would do it again next year if they got their laptops, but that they would bring sleeping bags next time.