In Which Ma Saves El Hubbo 12 Bucks

It was shopping day in the agrarian state of Iowa. Or at least it was for Ma Hoyt, sometimes referred to as "Ma the Cheapskate."

She was, shall we say, thrifty to the point of largesse, as demonstrated by the many stacks of used books she had donated to herself through the wise allotment of her husband's money.

And this day was like many other shopping days, which would mean, first of all, that it was not night.

As in the past, Ma attempted to start the Green Dragon Lady Lincoln, which surprisingly enough, did commence to chuggity-chug.

Accompanying our matronly hero in her acquirement of stuffs, was daughter number four, Melinda-the-fairly-quiet.

Now, today's trip would include the search for raiment, a chore Ma was well acquainted with, as she had spent, earlier that year, many, many, many, MANY hours waiting for college peoples to try on clothes.

And it was during today's period of waitage that our slightly graying heroine noticed the lovely jammies hanging on racks within viewage of the dressing rooms.

A smart ensemble of smooth, purply-black silkiness caught her eye. She looked. She lingered. She longed.

She put the 1200-penny pretties in her cart.

And then she saw Tinkerbell.

Tinkerbell was hanging coyly off to the side, her clearance-priced separates boasting $1.00 each. One dollar, plus one dollar....that would make....TWO DOLLARS FOR PJ's!

WELL, Ma promptly returned the age appropriate items to their original home and snatched Tinkerbell's two-dollar offering.

Imagine...pajamas for two buckeroos!

She went back to the dressing room bench for renewed meditation.

But....something was amiss. Something was not right.

Indeed, should a 51-year-old woman stoop to the likes of Tinkerbell? Did she not deserve something more in line with her stature? Her elevated station in life? Not to mention some recompense for the endless hours of labor during childbirth?

It would seem, oh yes, it would seem seem-ly.

Ma returned the clearance duds and re-chose the satiny silks of sophistication.

This, THIS was more like it. Should a matron feign youth? Does a princess wear polka-dots? Would the queen, be seen, in a Tinkerbell dream?

In a word..."Nope."

And thus did Ma return, again, to wait.

It was only a few, mere moments, however, that reason did once again pound it's ugly fist upon her brain.

"Ma," it said, "do you need those pajamas?"

"But....but..."

"Ma, I'm SPEAKING to you, Ma..."

"Oh, alright...I'll put them back."

*sniff*

And so it was that Ma decided to "make do" with her oldish PJ's.

Twelve dollars. Saved. Just like that.

It warms the heart, if not the body.

It recaptures the hard-fought willpower, almost abandoned.

It restores her faith in humanity, and...

...it means El Hubbo can take her out to eat!

Sooner or later, saving money always pays off.
 

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