Retail Lab Rat

IKEA is one of those places that always makes me feel like a lab rat: I’m dropped at the entrance, made to scurry through a maze in the hopes of finding a reward (the item I’m shopping for) during my mad dash to get to the prize (the exit), all in as little time as possible. Today’s trip was no exception. I arrived at 9:30 with my reward ($20 bar stools) firmly in mind. I was lucky enough to be one of the first ones in the door, which meant there was an employee standing there pointing out the way to my reward. Of course, pointing the way in IKEA means scooting you in the direction of the escalator and leaving you to wander on your own from there. I ventured into the maze and only got lost twice before finding the line for the ticket that would get me the reward. After standing in line for half an hour, I got my ticket and was prodded in another direction so I could redeem it for my actual reward. And so I wandered, Matthew firmly in tow, through the maze, down the stairs, got lost a couple more times, and finally stood in line again to get my reward. Once that was accomplished, I wandered for a few more minutes, discovered I was headed in the opposite direction of the prize and turned back around just in time to smell the sweet smell of victory (and cinnamon rolls). At least I didn’t have to wait in line to check out. All the other rats were still wandering so that portion was quick and easy. Another trip to IKEA successfully completed. And the bargain shopper in my head is screaming that enduring an experiment in animal cruelty is totally worth while in order to save $160 on bar stools.