I felt a little nervous as I studied my computer screen. I really hoped no one would see the image which had my attention.
First off, if the guys from IT at work found out, I might get in trouble. Secondly, my wife would certainly have a problem with me if I clicked the button which had my complete attention.
We all have our weak moments. I didn’t sleep well the night before. I felt a little alone in my cubicle at work. I had a million excuses for what I planned to do.
In the end, common sense won out. Fear played a part in the decision. I didn’t want to walk around with that stain on my reputation for the rest of my life.
Even with that sense of relief, part of me still wishes I had bought that tuxedo I saw for sale on Cyber Monday.
I try not to take part in the early Christmas shopping frenzy, but the deals from a number of online retailers caught my eye the Monday after Thanksgiving. I checked back periodically while at work.
My plan included maybe getting one or two things from my shopping list if I got lucky. I also had a price point in mind for a new TV or other worthy home gadget.
Then I saw the tuxedo. I really only took a closer look to have something to laugh about. Then I saw the price and started to have serious thoughts.
Sure, I don’t ever go to the kinds of events where I would need a tuxedo, but that might change someday, right? They say you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have. What’s wrong with dressing for a future potential social engagement?
Those kind of ideas pop into your brain – well, into my brain – when you see a $500 tuxedo marked down to around $150. Somehow I managed to brush off buying a TV for $170 because I had doubts about whether I would like it enough, but I gave serious consideration to a piece of clothing I had no idea if I would ever wear for just $20 more.
I didn’t know whether to get the two-button style or go all out for the three-button jacket. They didn’t charge you more for the extra button. I stared at the screen wondering if I should pull the trigger.
Then I thought about my wife. She has taught me a lot about making smarter decisions with my money. She hasn’t gone out and bought any fancy ball gowns lately so why would she think I would need a tuxedo. That thought played a huge role in my ultimate decision.
What I didn’t think about was the reaction I would get when I told her about how I even considered buying a tux. She might stop laughing soon, but I doubt it.
Things would have been different if she saw me in the tux when she came home from work one day. A whole lot different.
She probably would have laughed even more, maybe even $150 worth of laughter. I wonder if the tux is still on sale.