Poor Madeline Anderson.

    Standing barely five feet tall, the little lady from near Scooba was almost invisible walking through Bonita Lakes Mall carrying several large shopping bags. All that was really visible was the top of her head, from her eyes up, and her feet. She dropped the bags next to a sitting area and drew a deep breath.

    “My husband wouldn’t get up this morning so I’m going it alone,” she said with a smile. “But that’s OK. I have done pretty well.”

    Anderson, like hundreds more inside the mall, was up early on Black Friday to take advantage of huge deals. Inside the mall it was easy to see what kind of mood the shoppers were in and what they were really trying to find to fill out their Christmas lists.

    “The cell phone store and video game store was packed,” said Anderson. “I had to go in each of those.”

    Clothing and shoes also seemed to be high on many of the shopper’s lists.

    Shoppers fought through the crowds inside the stores and the rain and chilly wind. Standing in the rain underneath an umbrella was Joe Pannoie of Newton County. He said he was wanting to get a camera for his daughter and maybe a flat screen TV. He said he really didn’t mind the rain as much as the waiting.

    “This line is longer than I thought it would be and it is getting chillier,” said Pannoie. “That’s OK though. I needed to work off some of that turkey I ate yesterday.”

    Vickie Speed of Meridian is an old pro at shopping on Black Friday. She said she didn’t get out last year but for most years she does come out on this day to get a jump on her shopping and on the good prices.

    “I’m here with my son and his family,” said Speed as she adjusted her shopping cart filled with gifts for her grandchildren. “I found a lot of things I needed to fill out my list.”

    There were no reports from any of the locations about people pushing or shoving or otherwise causing a problem. Speed said everyone has been nice, helpful and that has led to a good shopping experience. Anderson said her time in the mall was a good one with no problems either.

    “You do this enough you learn how to move among crowds of people,” Anderson said. “I think everyone is aware they are all there for the same reason and it does no good to be crazy about it.”

    Clearly electronics, specifically video game console systems and flat panel TVs, were the major draw this year. There was a steady stream of carts being pushed from Wal-Mart with nothing more than a huge TV sticking out of both ends.

    “The prices have come down so much,” said Pannoie. “People are definitely upgrading.”