The new store was called Retail Therapy, and it promised an unforgettable shopping experience for everyone truly devoted to spending money on ‘not to be missed’ bargains. They definitely saw Emily coming and made that shopping experience so seamlessly easy from the moment she walked into the store.

Emily was a most generous friend and relative. She always had just what you needed, or else knew just where to buy it – and did so. She was so accomplished to spending online, that Paypal instantly recognised her, and the goods were paid for and on their way before she could stop and assess the appropriateness of the purchase. Fortunately, most stores did allow returns if she had foolishly ordered something twice or the wrong size, or something outlandish she could never use. Her family were always expecting something a bit strange from Emily for their birthdays or Christmas- like the panpipes the boys received, and the weaving looms. Everyone was stocked up with socks and undies, and she had eventually learned not to buy a size 6 from a Chinese store, for a size 6 Australian boy- but rather a size 8, because Australian boys are much bigger than Chinese boys. So many clothes she had bought ended up being donated to Salvation Army or Good Sammies.

Yes, it was best to buy clothes from Big W or Kmart, and the best thing of all was to take the children shopping so they received just what they wanted. This was a more expensive way to buy clothes as it missed out on all the specials advertised online, but it did mean they were happy with the gifts.

But what did Retail Therapy offer?  As soon as she stepped into the store and secured a shopping trolley, she was astonished to see things coming off the shelf and flying into her trolley before she had stopped to buy them. Yet, how appropriate were the choices!

A Lego set for each of the boys, an 18 inch American doll for Evie, and clothes and accessories. Books for Belinda, a chess set for Craig, a beautiful glass vase for Bridget. She stopped to assess things and then started to walk further into the store. More clothes and toys flew into the trolley, bath bombs and hand creams, perfumes and aftershave. She was totally flummoxed by the whole process. She had never set foot in the store before but somehow it sensed her shopping habits.

Within the first hour her trolley was full, and it was only April, and she had finished her Christmas shopping. However, with another eight months till Christmas, she knew she would buy more presents. Would she dare to come into this Retail Therapy shop again?

It intrigued her, and she probably would. Before she left the store, she could not help getting another trolley, to buy some things for herself as well. The same thing happened. Clothes, books, craft items and cosmetics flew into the trolley at an alarming rate. Usually she was very careful with her personal purchases, choosing just one or two items. But today she was defeated. She tried to put some of the items back on the shelves, but instantly they flew back at her. Emily was feeling very uncomfortable, her pulse was racing, and her breathing became faster and shallower. She tried to push the trolley to the checkout and grabbed the first trolley too. 

Her feet were difficult to control as she used all her energy to get to the checkout. She was being driven back into the store to do more shopping. She tried to call for help, but no sound came out of her mouth. She pushed the trolleys forward and eventually pulled in at the checkout. She opened her purse. and her credit card flew out to the operator. The goods lifted themselves out of the trolleys, piled up on the counter, folded themselves and packed neatly into store shopping bags. In a daze she collected the six shopping bags and stumbled out of the shop. Her credit card had returned to her purse with the receipt, and she gasped in horror when she saw she had spent $1500 in that frenzied hour of shopping.

She was horrified indeed, and she recognised a new feeling as well. She felt guilty and chastened, and she did not have her usual sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with her shopping choices. Never again would she enter the Retail Therapy store and as she turned her back on it, she heard a whirring sort of hissing noise. She turned back and saw that the store had vanished, and in its place was a greengrocer. Yes, she did need to buy potatoes, but after her experience she did not dare enter the store and grabbed a trolley to take some of her bags, carrying the rest, and heading toward her car. She loaded the boot, and sat in the driver’s seat, feeling exhausted and foolish.