My closet welcomes a new friend

Oh Chip & Pepper jeans on eBay ... I saw you yesterday morning, and immediately said "no." My recent shopping binge ended with a pit of guilt, even though my longing for new jeans never fully subsided.

But I couldn't stop thinking about you. I visited your web page several times. I passed on your link to get others' opinions. Your sister, my current pair of Chip & Peppers, are involuntarily making their way out of my jeans rotation. The hole on the knee isn't so bad. The hole in the crotch area that I'm giving about three more wears to develop probably isn't work, or public, appropriate.

So I started justifying why you could come into my life. I decided to "watch" you. Five hours before your auction ended, I received a notification that you were still in my price range. In fact, no one else had bid on you ... it was starting to feel like denim destiny.

I warmed up some leftovers and poured a glass of wine. Things were getting down to the wire. I decided I might try my luck at acquiring you ... but not until the last minute. With two minutes to go, I started wondering what other Chip & Pepper hunter was out there. Watching. Waiting for time to almost expire to pounce. Was she watching Law & Order: SVU, too? Probably. It's kind of awesome.

One minute left. My heart started racing. "Should I really do this?" Bid one cent above starting rate, with 48 seconds to go. But I wasn't logged into my eBay account. I typed feverishly. Confirmed bid. Whew ... that was close. But then I noticed a prompt that said "You are close to getting outbid." No! My suspicions of another suitor were spot on. 8 seconds left. Bid two dollars higher. Disappointment ... the auction was closed. But apparently the eBay gurus lied when they told me someone else was going to reign triumphant. I won! For the starting price, too. Not even one cent more.

Within 60 seconds' time, I spent $65. But as the commercials geniusly say, I "shopped victoriously." I think they targeted this campaign/slogan at eBay'ers who bid against each other. Turns out I was bidding against myself. Whatev. Those new jeans are for my butt and my butt only.