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Black it out and also call it, amongst many other aformentioned names, Blackout Wednesday. OK, maybe not to that dark degree. It started slow, but then got rolling, heading South of Heaven, reversing the usual head-up-the-street progression. Then there was the next day, a holiday … And then a two-day shopping onslaught. (And scores more of silly holiday names, now added to this post.)

It has been called, also and I was amiss for not calling them out as such in an earlier post, (see it for a Saturday band buildup), Blackout Wednesday (night) and of course, Thanksgiving Eve. And at least three other gnarlier names, the next couple of days included.

So now I’ll list going back, more than a week’s worth, of some made-up names of other days we’re seeing: One of the last tariff-free and tax-addled pre-turkey-day Tuesdays, waddled like turkey-flight widespread travel Wednesday, thrusting onward into Thanksgiving, watched-with-sleepy-eyes football Black Friday, saturated super Shopping Local Saturday, retail-returning-of-relics Sunday, Cyber attack addled and airline return late Monday, taking-back-taco-eating Tuesday, leftover wings of turkey not just buffalo Wednesday, a tavern-and-bar-based throwback to Thirsty Thursday, TGIF Finally if you were (un)fortunate enough to Find Yourself With Folks, The Only Day That Matters Saturday, and FunDay SunDay if you’re not dieting yet and then light beer.

Back to Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drunksgiving, in as much as can be done post-pandemic, the eve was “sick” and a banger. Music reactors reference aside.

The night, though, started out slow, with in the block of the Smilin’ Moose, there were five open parking spaces, make that six as a car pulled out, but still inside they were shakin’ their booty to DJ music.

— Black Friday was followed by Small Business Saturday, and as origins, I must lament the demise-of-all-real-journalism as shown by an entire front page that was just a Black Friday, Black car ad in the Hudson Star-Observer. So no off-the-top news in this (former) newspaper.

The next day there were placards all over the fortunately wide sidewalks — eight in just one long block with a gap on the north end, followed by two more just across the street — as businesses competed and said, essentially, shop with me not them. (I loved most the one that hawked hot scon(ni)es on a harrowingly cold day.) Having had it, or had at it, three MILFs were heard to say, as they stepped into The 715 and that’s not an area code, “and yeah we could stop in for shots.” The nearest bar was a full block away. —

In the next block, back to Blackout Wednesday, there roamed three large conglomerations of people, and at its end the Agave was hopping. There was that one single lady, (not for long), starting to mingle in the rare open space near the enterway.

Over to Hudson Tap … Some ladies were rockin’ their look, to top it off was the one with a tan off-the-shoulder what-could-be-a-sweater, with a bare midriff, too. Then there was that one little black dress, and someone with likeminded black boots too.

Over to Dick’s. And a short-term dilemma. I saw, not at first, but following that some of the old crowd from well before the pandemic. Tom and his bro, and a trio of women, and of course Mackenzie, from the old neighborhood. And that woman I was sure I knew, but she said it was her lookalike, also out that night.

Trekking back past Agave, again, four people running across the grain of the streetlight, to cross the sidestreet crosswalk.

The next day, no one out was on the a bit snow-filled street. All was closed but the Spirit Seller, which was busy, and very especially the guy who had to dig in his pocket for the last couple of bucks. Ziggy’s, kinda across the way, and usually and historically a big-bar-night starting point, had just enough lights on, largely via beer signs shining, to mask the fact that they were not open. This being deer hunting season, it was fitting that there was an even bigger “bucking” bronco whiskey sign advertising out in back.

Then St. Croix Bakery, with sign saying they would be closed on Black Friday, making that basically in league with no one, but open again on the Saturday to follow. Some other places have made it a four-day holiday, taking full advantage. Workers have at it, with your family and friends.

Fast-forward to the weekend … Some of the same back-from-college newbies were out again at The Tap, such as one who, we joked, just couldn’t seem to stop inadvertantly positioning herself, although shifting, to be standing, or sitting, in front of one of the two server stations/computers. Ouch!

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