Friday begins the shopping rush for the upcoming
HolidaySeason. While I am not a huge fan of Dayafter Thanksgiving sales (now called
Black Friday since 2005), I know many ofmy friends anticipate them all year long. While contemplating that today I wasquite shocked and extremely excited when
Elizabeth Darcy, from my story
Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy, stopped by to talk with me. I will not question how she managed to transport herself to my humbleabode (after all I wrote a story about ghostly visitations), but she did wantto speak to me about this particular Holidaycustom. I recorded our conversation andwill transcribe it for your entertainment.
EDarcy: Miss Cole, orshould I say Lady Cole?
BTCole: Ms. Cole, butI would be happy if you would wish to call me Barbara, Mrs. Darcy.
EDarcy: I would behonored, Barbara. Please call me,Elizabeth.
BTCole: Thank you, Elizabeth.I understand you have some questions to ask me about the twenty-first century Holidaycustom of Black Friday?
EDarcy: I do. First of all, I cannot understand all thesigns I see about Black Friday? Is aplague coming? Has someone veryimportant in your world died? Are youall to be in mourning and wear black clothes on Friday? I just cannot determine the meaning. Mostpeculiar of all is something will be sold on that day? Is it some type ofarmband or mourning jewelry?
BTCole: No,Elizabeth. Black Friday refers to thecustom of deeply discounting merchandise for sale on the day afterThanksgiving. It is called ‘Black’because most stores open in the middle of the night for these sales to begin,while it is still black outside. For many businesses it is from this point onthat they are making profit during the year, or being ‘in the black’. ‘In theblack’ means they are on the profit side of the profit and loss statement fortheir business.
EDarcy: Thank you,Barbara. I have heard of this holidaycalled Thanksgiving, but do not know much about it. Can you tell me more?
BTCole: In the UnitedStated, the Thanksgiving holiday originated in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 as a celebration of asuccessful harvest after arriving in the colonies.
EDarcy: Fitzwilliamand I have studied some of the history of the formation of the colonies andtheir uprising against the British. Sothis is not an event to celebrate freedom from their native homeland?
BTCole: No, it isnot. And even if you understand thehistory, over the years, it has just become a time when family and friends gettogether for a good meal and talk about their gratitude for the year.
EDarcy: The historyof the event was about a successful harvest you said? It sounds similar to our harvestcelebration. I assume you clear thetables after dinner and dance a jig, or a similar dance?
BTCole: I am surethere are some families that might dance after the meal, but my family mostlyrelaxes on the couch and either takes a nap or watches football games.
EDarcy: Footballgames?
BTCole: Believe me,you are much better off not knowing about them. Many a modern woman becomes afootball widow during the Bowl game season.
EDarcy: BowlGames? I am quite a proficient at lawnbowling! Fitzwilliam and I love to playwith our children.
BTCole: No,Elizabeth. It is not like lawn bowling.I am not sure I can explain it appropriately. It is nothing like games in the Regency period. Believe me, you are much better off notknowing about it. Let us just leave itthat the men folk go off and watch these sporting events—perhaps not unlikethey disappeared into the billiard room or the smoking room after dinner inyour time.
EDarcy: My dear Darcytaught me how to play billiards. Heparticularly enjoys getting behind me and helping me handle the long pole tomanipulate the balls into a pocket. Sothis football is like that?
BTCole: Oh dear! I am not explaining this well. Perhaps I can show you a game on TV.
EDarcy: What is a TV?
BTCole: This is alsoa bit difficult to explain. I will callit an electronic box that shows sports, and plays and news. It is almost as good as being inattendance. Instead of going to theopera or the theatre, you can watch the events on this device.
EDarcy: It soundsquite fascinating. Perhaps I will havean opportunity to watch one of these electronic boxes while I am here in yourcentury. I still find I need tounderstand more about the purpose of Black Friday. It is about buying things?
BTCole: It is aboutpurchasing deeply discounted merchandise for sale on that one day.
EDarcy: I am tryingto understand this. Would it be similarto my going to the modiste shop the day after Thanksgiving and receiving adiscount on the things I ordered?
BTCole: That isprobably the closest to what transpires in our century, but few people purchasetheir clothes made to order in this century. We go to stores and purchase them ready-made. They come in a wide variety of sizes.
EDarcy: You mean all the classes shop in these stores? Arethere not shops that specialize in catering to the upper classes?
BTCole: There arespecial designer shops, that is true, but even in those stores they havesales. Most people purchase items offthe rack.
EDarcy: Off the rack,you say. I think that Fitzwilliam likesmy rack. (she giggled)
BTCole: Mrs.Darcy! I am happy to see a bit of yourimpertience showing through. I am sure Mr. Darcy appreciates all of you, butthis kind of rack is actually a long stand that holds the items, and those thatare shopping can look through the items as they hang. It works in a similar way to the rod in yourwardrobe closet. At least I am assumingI am correct in that conclusion.
EDarcy: I certainlyhave rods in my closet. But there are none in my good friend Mrs. Collins’closet. Mr. Collins insisted in puttingshelves in the closets as Lady Catherine declared it the most efficient use ofthe space. And as we all know, she isnever wrong. (she laughed)
BTCole: (laughing)How are you and your ‘aunt’ getting along these days?
EDarcy: I am quitehappy to report that with the intervention of Fitzwilliam’s ghosts, she isquickly becoming a very dear friend. Itmay sound impossible, but I am very happy to report that it is indeedtrue. Thank you, dear author, forsuggesting that as a possibility in your story. Perhaps I can tell you more about it and you will write about it in thefuture!
BTCole: I would behappy to learn more about how the ghosts intervened into Lady Catherine’slife. I could write about that for nextholiday season. Would you like toaccompany me to the Black Friday sales this coming Friday, Elizabeth?
EDarcy: While Icannot promise I will be allowed to return, I would love the opportunity to doso! I hope to see you soon!
BTCole: Thanks again Elizabeth,for coming and visiting with me today.
_________________________________________________________________
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BOOK AND AUTHOR BLURB:
A Jane Austen/Charles Dickens crossoverstory, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy takesthe best of both classics and spins them into a delightful Holiday treat! F.E.Darcy has fallen into pitiful self-loathing and sorrowful angst-ridden despair;all of this due to his belief that he has lost forever the chance to marry theonly woman he has ever loved—Elizabeth Bennet. Seeing her son in such a state,the Ghost of Anne Darcy reaches out to him; informing him that three ghostswould visit him and give him hope. Will these Spirits provide him with thecourage to try again to win the esteem of his one true soul mate? Barbara Tiller Cole, an Atlanta native and thewriter of the popular book White Liesand Other Half Truths, presents this family friendly classic—a delightfulcombination of the best of her two favorite authors, Jane Austen and CharlesDickens. Barbara credits her parents with fostering a love for both of theseauthors. Each Christmas, Barbara’s father would sit and read Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol to the family. Hermother consistently challenged her to improve her mind by extensive reading,Jane Austen style. This book is dedicated to the memory of Cliff and Jeanne andthe season they loved the best.
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