Finally at 6:30 my wife showed up with many needed items. First off was a chair. She got it at Wal Mart for $9, and it folded nicely. Second was a sweat shirt to wear over my “Sith Park” T-Shirt, and a leather coat to wear over my Polar Fleece. Layers were the key to warmth. I also took a sleeping bag rated to 30 degrees for extra warmth. She let me take a bathroom break, holding my place in line.

She then left to go home. My car needed to be unloaded from other things, and I needed a second pair of pants to wear underneath my jeans for warmth. She also brought a hat and gloves. At least the rain had stopped.

At 7 p.m. Chad arrived. I don’t know Chad, but he was at Toys R Us with his two soon-to-be step children (STBSCs) to buy wrestling figures when they saw me sitting outside. They asked the employees what the strange man outside was doing and the employees told him of Midnight Madness. His STBSCs, aged 12 and 6, decided they had to stay for Star Wars toys instead of wrasslin’ toys. Thus they joined my line. Unfortunately Chad decided the best thing for his STBSCs was lots of sugar. Thus one 30 year old and two very hyper children joined the line.

Chad and his STBSCs left to get some cigarettes (for Chad, I hope) and my wife returned with my new pants. She then joined me in the line. I, greatly in need of warmth and food, went on a pizza run to Luca’s, which is a local joint right across the street from TRU. It was about 8:30…4.5 hours left to go. While I was at Luca’s a man walked in front of TRU and looked at my wife, sitting in her chair with her bright orange sleeping bag. He stopped and looked at her for a moment, then asked if she was protesting the store.

The store closed at 9. One teenager left the store and hopped in a black pick-up truck with his girlfriend. Trying to show off, he sped out of his parking space in reverse…and sideswiped the parked car next to him. His girlfriend gets out to see the damage, and has to literally leap to safety as he pulls forward trying to stop hitting the car. He makes things far worse. Finally he goes into reverse again and, for a third time, hits the car next to him. I go out and get the driver’s license plate, in case he tries to drive away. Chad calls the cops. My wife goes in to tell the manager and, yes, it was an employee’s car.