Because I can't. I mean, who can? Who can walk through the aisles with her red cart along the gleaming white floor and the bright florescent light and not pull item after item off the shelf? It's like walking past slot machines in Las Vegas -- you can't help but put in a quarter.
When I first heard the news about the Target credit card breach, I had a moment of panic. According to reports, customers who shopped at Target Nov. 27 to Dec. 15, 2013 and swiped a credit or debit card may have been affected. Nov.27 through Dec. 15? I thought. Are the chances of risk greater if you shopped there almost every day during that timeframe? It's the holiday season, after all. So, yes, I panicked -- but not for long.
The next day I was back in Target buying something or another that I'm sure I didn't need. It doesn't help that I live a block away from Target. It's like a second home. Out of milk? Target. Pair of nylons because the one I just tried on has a tear? Target. Bored and need to get my kids out of the house? Target. Starbucks? That's in Target too.
Just yesterday, I was about to roll out dough to make Christmas cookies until realized the rolling pin was missing. So what did I do? I loaded both of my kids in the car and drove a block -- it was raining -- to Target to buy a new rolling pin. Even then, I couldn't escape with just that one item: I remembered I needed toothpaste and the Burt's Bee lip gloss looked so appealing in the check-out aisle that I succumbed to the Target trance once again.
So, you see, despite the credit card breach, I won't stop shopping at Target because it has become a bit of an addiction. And I'm guessing that since more than 40 million of our credit card accounts were affected, Target is an addiction to many of us. It's why no one can walk out of there with only one item -- we see 18 other things we must have.
Consumerism in America on steroids.
I'm not proud. I'm not saying that getting giddy over rows and rows of $15 wedges in every color (ladies, remember last summer?) is a good thing. But, somehow, I cannot control my shopping impulse when I'm there. Perhaps it's because Target has everything -- from ice cream to iPads and everything in between.
I should stop writing this now and cancel my Red Card, but I have some last-minute Christmas shopping to do, and, well, you know, Target is calling my name.