Say it isn’t so, Eddie. Please, say it isn’t so.
It’s amazing how a perfectly fine day (well, “fine” if I choose not to get bummed by the rain or the fact that I had to give up my Honda Civic for a Kia Spectra this morning) can suddenly, unexpectedly, and dramatically take a turn for the worse.
I breeze past Yahoo several times a day to see whether I’ve received any email. I always scan the news headlines as well because I’m just that cool. Just minutes ago, I was startled to see this — “Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy protection” — in the little news box. Devastation and despair ensued.
I love Eddie Bauer and have for many years. There was a time when you would be hard-pressed to find much more than a business suit in my closet that wasn’t from EB. I wear their perfume. I have an EB watch, purse, and sweater stone. I have EB shoes, jackets, pajamas, and socks.
When there was an EB in the nearby Capital City mall, some of the clerks knew me by name. They offered me a part-time job, encouraging me to put in a few hours a week just to support my habit. They understood my deep affection for their store and its product. Ask Jeff about how I gasped when I realized they were leaving the mall a few years ago. I was speechless.
All I can think about now is, “Will Eddie Bauer still be in existence after my pregnancy when I can fit into all their cute clothes again?!”
Stupid lousy economy.
This is not a good day, folks. Not a good day.