blog entry

I hate the Mall

I realize there are plenty of people who adore the mall. All of the stores you want to visit in one convenient location and you can stop and have a snack while shopping. I am not one of those people. It began when I was a teenager, maybe because I didn't have wealthy parents to buy me whatever my heart desired. You know, the monthly Swatch watch, the Guess jeans or the Oakley sunglasses. But I never really cared to have those things in the first place. I was into Madonna, so I could shop at a local thrift shop and find just what I was looking for, or in most cases, borrow it from my best friend, Diane, who lived a block away. I never understood the mall. I believe the starting point was high school, when I got my drivers license. Parking at the mall was like Hell brought to earth. People pulling out the wrong way, circling for hours to find a spot, yelling at you if you happened to go the wrong way... it was endless. I also believe this was the beginning of my road rage as well. Then, once you got in there it was mounds of people, noone walking with any order or concern for oncoming shoppers, the occasional "bad group" that would mess with anyone that they came across, and then the clothes. Ick, shopping for clothes in a mall where you know at least 20 people have tried the same thing on... just not my thing. Well, now I have a 15 year old and a 12 year old, who ADORE the mall. I get hives just thinking about parking there. And everytime they ask, "Can we go shopping?" I just get all clammy hands and have to say, "Not today" or "Ask your Dad". He actually likes the mall. I prefer to do my shopping only when necessary and only from somewhere I can go and not feel like I have to have my ear tagged and counted on the way in.