Attention shoppers!

This is simply what popped into my head.

"Attention shoppers!" The announcement echoed through the store like a sonic boom, spoken with a man's baritone. "There is a blue light special on wedding rings on Isle 10!" The end of the announcement curled up in excitement. Here we go!

Store employees braced themselves for the onslaught of women they were sure would storm their way towards Isle 10. Employees grasped onto structural pillars so as not to be trampled by the crowd, while others dove under clothes racks or behind displays promoting multi-colored Stoneware cooking sets. They clung to their protective shields and covered their heads and just waited. But the stampedes never came. The surges of women coming to break down the doors of the store never arrived. In fact, all remained quiet within the white plaster walls of this store, while employees looked at each other confused and in shock. Instead of drawing in the soon to become brides-to-be", the overhead announcement seemed to expel all female patronage from the store altogether. What was going on?

The male employees continued on working even in their confused state however it was the female employees that moved on with their day understanding the curfuffle that had interrupted their daily routines. At the end of the night, as the last of the employees cleaned and restocked the store, getting everything ready for tomorrow, one of the younger employees turned to an older employee and asked, "What happened today? I would have thought that everyone would have been rushing for a chance to get a wedding right set on sale. They're so expensive nowadays."

The older employee stopped restocking the plastic bags used to house a customers' purchases and let out a deep sigh. "Things are different today than they used to be. As early as seventy years ago, the primary expectation of a woman was to get married and have children. As many children as she could have. It was the expectation of a woman to ensure that she, the children, and the house were presentable for her husband at any moment. You know, just in case in invited to boss over for dinner." The elder winked at the younger. "Most women weren't allowed to have jobs because it interfered with their household duties. But some of them did. Some of them were even a part of history, not that anyone would remember them."

The older employee gruffed and went back to finishing restocking the plastic bags. Once completed, the elder moved on to the other registers to make sure those bags had been restocked too. The younger watched the elder for a moment, noticing the uneven gait in their steps, the slight tremble when they hung the new sets of bags. Intrigued by what the elder said, the younger hurried after, anxious to ask more before the elder grew tired of the conversation.

"What do you mean? What women? Do you mean like Rosa Parks or Sally Ride?" asked the younger. The elder just turned, looking in bewilderment at the younger.

"How is it you know about them?" asks the elder.

"I learned about them in elementary school." states the younger.

"Hmmm." The elder signs again and resumes their duties.

"Come on. What does that mean? Why won't you tell me?" the younger becomes frustrated with the elder's elusiveness. The elder stared at the younger for a moment, squinting as if the size them up to determine if the truth was something they could handle.

"Do you of Hypatia or Bodica?" asked the elder.

"No" responded the younger.

"Okay, how about Elizabeth Magie or Margaret Keane?" asked the elder. The younger just shook their head. They had never been taught about these people.

"Who are they?" asked the younger.

"Women. Women who had the desire to be more than just a caretaker. Women who desired to be heard in this world but were silenced by the men around them. Each of these women has played a major role in our history but until recently, not a single one was remembered or taught about."

"I don't understand. What does this have to do with the sale on the rings?" says the younger

"Because women are finally able to step out and say, 'I don't want to be married. I don't want children.'