In Search Of George

I happened upon the fact today that TV Guide has released a 4 issue Collector's Series set featuring the Beatles. Since it has been 40 years since their historic Shea Stadium concert (August 15, 1965), TV Guide decided to run 4 issues, one cover featuring John Lennon, one with Paul McCartney, one with Ringo Starr, and one with George Harrison.

Of course, me being a Beatles freak, I had to have them.

So, I sacrificed my lunch hour to go to Target to pick up the issues. One John, one Paul, one Ringo and ... "where's George?" I searched through the stack of Guides at every register, but there was no George to be found. Hesitantly, I threw the 3 mags on the register, paid for them, and left.

I crossed the street to Wal-Greens to find the missing mag, to no avail. So, I went over to Osco drug...nope.

Marsh...no.
Kroger...no.
CVS...no.

I was running out of options. I could go to the mall, and hit K-Mart, and if they didn't have it, my only choice was the dreaded Wal-Mart. I haven't been into the Columbus Wal Mart for a long time...once since the new Target opened it's doors a few years back. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

In desperation, I entered K-Mart. I made a quick flip through the Guides, and came up empty handed. I was devastated. Ugh...Wal Mart...NNNNNOOOOOO!! As I was making my way back through the mall, I crossed paths with Walden Books. "They have magazines," I thought to myself, so I gave it a try.

After looking at all they had to offer on their racks, I turned to leave, defeated. But as I crossed the counter, a display caught my eye. Various magazines...and one of them was TV Guide. I lunged for the stack, flipping through the copies of John and Paul with the fury of a madman.

And there it was.

GEORGE!!

I slapped the Harrison issue on the counter, and with my head high and my wallet out, the cashier swiped the bar code. Nothing.

She made a second swipe...

and a third...

and a fourth...

George didn't want to be sold!! I swooped up the copy with John's face on it and handed it to her. "Maybe this one will ring up," I said. The cashier smiled, and swiped John. SUCCESS!! I handed her the money, and she handed me change. Then she picked up the John Lennon Guide and put it in a sack and slid it to me.

"Ma'am...I really want THAT issue," I said as I pointed towards George.

"They're all the same, right?" she questioned.

I grabbed a copy of the Guiness Book of World Records and began beating her. "No, they aren't the same!!" I cried.

Ok, I didn't do that. I told her I needed the George Harrison cover, and she gave me a look like I was crazy, but she understood. She slid John out and put George in it's place. I would have hated to see what would have happened if a cashier at Wal Mart would have tried to pull that on me!!