[SakSquash]

So we started at 5 p.m., and the first place we went to was a small city called Newburg. I figured that since I had left 7 hours before launch, there was no way I wouldn't get one. I guess I didn't understand how huge it was.

When we got there, there was a huge line of people at Wal-Mart. Some guy towards the front was selling his seat for $300. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I asked an employee if there was any point in staying and he said "Nope. You might as well go back home and go to bed."

As odd as that was, we left and decided to try Fishkill, the next town over. Now, I had the impression that Fishkill, based on its name, was probably going to be an obscure small town, and there would be my chance to strike gold. I get to the Wal-Mart there, and there was an even bigger line. The line went from layaway, which was in the middle of the store, all the way to the end of the store, and curled around down the other way. There were 17 premiums available and over 200 people in line. Employees kept telling them to go home, that there wasn't a chance, but they stayed anyway hoping for credit card malfunction.

After that, we went to stores like Best Buy and Circuit city, both of which said they had sold out hours ago, which was strange, considering it was still the 21st.

So we decided to go to Poughkeepsie and try out their Best Buy and Circuit City. Same deal there. Then we thought, well what about Target? Nobody ever thinks of Target. So we go, and when we get there at about 8:30, we find that nobody is there. There is no line. We talk to an employee and they said that people weren't allowed to line up until 11 p.m., and tickets wouldn't be handed out until 6 a.m. We asked if we could wait out there anyway, and he said no, and that anyone caught waiting around outside would be kicked off the lot. So we waited, bought some food for the campout, and at about 9:30, when we stepped outside to take the bags to the car, what did we see? Yup, a line had formed. I walked up to it to ask what was going on and the dude in first said "There aren't any premiums left! They're ours!"

There was a security guard out there, and when I asked him about not being able to line up until 11, he said "The corporate offices decided to change their policy." I was so ****ing mad; I wanted to smash all their faces in the pizza that was being handed out to them. But then the guard says "Try Woodbury Commons in Monroe, I just got a call from them saying that there wasn't anyone waiting for theirs and they have 20 premiums and 20 core systems.

I asked how far away that was, and he said about 30 minutes. Now, we've already traveled wayyy off our course, so we decided to go for it. When we got there, we found there were people, and they were making a list numbering people in the order that they came. I was number 20. I thought I was finally in. Everyone kept saying they had 20 and 20.

So, we formed a line outside of the store, all in our numbered positions. It was freezing. I don't know exactly how cold it was in terms of degrees, but it couldn't have been more than 40F. Then, it started to rain. People were freezing. Then, all the people in line decided that since their name was on their self created list, that they would all go to their cars and stay warm and sleep. Not me though. I thought there was no way I would come this far and lose it because I sat in the car. I stayed out there, soaked, towels wrapped around my feet because my socks had gotten soaked along with my shoes, with no umbrella while everyone else slept in their cars, including the 6 high school students who were in front of me on the list, all there to buy their Xboxes so they could sell them on eBay. I was there for the love of gaming, and I was pretty convinced that I would be getting one.

At about an hour before ticket time, I found out that one of the guys waiting in line was a Microsoft guy. This guy was high up in the food chain. He even knew guys from OXM and gamestop. He explained to us that he believed the shortages were caused by a faulty plug on the headset, and that he had to organize the recall to fix the problem. I asked what the hell he was doing in line, and he said "Trust me. Nobody except for the very top guys is given an Xbox."

My girlfriend came back from her trip from Wal-Mart and had bought a huge ring shaped sandwich and chocolate covered pretzels for everyone in line.

Soon after that, the employees at target came up to the window we were all lined up by and started to mock us. Long story short, there was almost a brawl.

Ticket time came, and the manager announced that they had 18 premiums and 20 core systems. I took a core system ticked, but I didn't want the ****ing thing. In a daze I walked around looking at it. I decided it was time to go home. I gave the ticked to a sad looking guy with dreadlocks who didn't even give a ticket. He gave me a huge huge and thanked me endlessly. I got in the car, and my girlfriend drove us home after a long night.

It's odd. Even though I was angry and upset at both Target and Microsoft for various things, I still wasn't that mad about it. I met a lot of cool and nice people that night, of all ages, and the fact that I had the love of my life with me through the whole thing made it all seem ok.

Oh wait...except, now i'm sick. So yeah, that sucks.