Shopping for School Supplies

EXPANDING FILE, LETTER SIZE WITH 7 POCKETS.
EXPANDING FILE, LETTER SIZE WITH 7 POCKETS.
EXPANDING FILE, LETTER SIZE WITH 7 POCKETS.

Every year. 

Every damn year. 

Every damn year there is ONE item on the kids' school supply list that is IMPOSSIBLE to find, sending me on a mad scavenger hunt - and believe me, by the end of it, I am MAD. 

The thing is, I am not the type of person to let a little "7 pocket file" get me bent out of shape. 

"Looks like they are OUT of 7 pocket files," I would say, "Guess what?  We will come back in a couple of days."

To which, the response IS.....................

 "We HAVE to have it TODAY!  My teacher SAID!"

MY TEACHER SAID.
MY TEACHER SAID. 
MY TEACHER SAID.     

I love teachers.

I think teachers are wonderful. 

In fact, I come from a family of teachers.

I am also pretty smart, and I know that MOST teachers are pretty reasonable. 

Teacher :    "If your mom can't find the "7 pocket file" at the store because (guess what?)  EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COUNTY HAS BOUGHT THEM, then it is okay to bring it in..........
as soon as you can."

Yet, somehow, there is always a small part of me that believes it when my child says,

"MY TEACHER SAID!"

.......................sending me to Staples, Target, CVS, Office Depot,
and my least of all favorite stores (sorry) WALMART,

and that same small part of me (even though I love teachers) also believes that teachers everywhere get together and come up with some "KNOWINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, RANDOM ITEM" every year to put on the school supply list, and then they sit back with their "I love my teacher" coffee mugs............................................................and watch.

I think I just created the next reality tv show.

OH, AND BY THE WAY ..............

Do you remember that Staples commercial (see link below) that came out years ago?  The one where the dad is skipping along, shopping for school supplies with his kids, while the song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" plays on the intercom (or maybe, it's just in his head) ????

PARENTS SHOPPING FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES DO NOT LOOK LIKE THAT.

We looked stressed. 

We look tired. 

We look annoyed.

We look frustrated.

We look like we will do bodily harm to whomever comes between us and that
EXPANDING FILE, LETTER SIZE WITH 7 POCKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next year, I am not going to fall for it. 

I am going to send my supply list back to the teacher, with the EXPANDING FILE, LETTER SIZE WITH 7 POCKETS................ circled,

and a note that says,

                                                                    "Nice try ; ) !" 

Staples commercial -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIIMbG9R4w