I need to visit the Target in Kent more often. I was investigating a panic buy situation, because I really liked the looks of this wool coat I had seen in the Parma store about a month ago. I thought I'd stroll over to the Kent store at lunch, when it wasn't so crowded to see if they had one there. Well, they did and it was the last one. I didn't want to hide the coat in a different section, and I convinced myself to buy it now and not wait until after Christmas.

So, where do end I up? Of course, in a line. At the Express checkout, of all places. All of a sudden, this Target worker (I think she was the head cashier) sees me in line and proceeds to give me the heavy flirt. Right there in the Target. She insists that I keep the hanger for the coat (whoa, that's a first) and then tells me they don't have any garment bags, but proceeds to find something for me. She gets this large bag and expertly pokes a hole (OK, author embellishment) in the middle for the hanger I get to keep. Then she says, wow, this coat looks great. She sees how much it costs and then tells me what a great deal it was, that if I had gone to Nordstrom or Kaufmann's, I would have paid a ton more, but that the quality there was just as good. That it'll look good on me and on and on.

I'm still in line, because while all this was going on, the dude in front of me finished, but they had to take this woman who had bought all of her stuff before, but must have needed a new price for a Mr. Coffee. The cashier asked if I would let her go ahead of me and I said sure. And this new transaction takes forever, because we are standing, obviously, in the Express checkout line. Just then, my new friend reappears on the other side of the conveyor, grabs my wrist and mouths the words, "I am so-o-o-o sorry."

So, I have to go back. I mean, it is the store where I buy my underwear, so I guess I'll wear my new coat and buy a pack.

Meal of Links

It's not Pink Floyd, but David Gilmour hits the road.

Graphics of all the uniforms worn by Gaylord Perry in his Hall of Fame career. He was with the Tribe during the blood clot era.

Macworld is coming soon. And that means more Apple rumors this time of year.

Exercise Yard

Hey, Cleveland State won another game yesterday. My Dad and I attended the overtime thriller (not really) between CSU and the vaunted Wolverines of Utah Valley State. I think the depth of CSU helped as Utah Valley kinda got worn down in the second half, by not using the bench too much. But the Vikings made a nice 13-point comeback to tie it at the buzzer and then jumped ahead in overtime to hang on for the win.

The coach of Utah Valley was Dick Hunsaker, not known as a gentle guy. You may remember him from the Ball State glory days in the early '90s. After the game, he was really yelling at some CSU officials by the scoring table. Not sure what his beef was, but I thought he might of come to blows, if not watched. There was an absolutely horrible non-call late in the game that CSU was not whistled for, so maybe that was it.

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33 Down: Former U.N. leader Hammarskjold (3 letters) Answer: Dag