~ Malled ~

My generation, the “Boomers”, was the first mall-generation. I spent many hours of my youth and early adulthood shopping, playing and working in modern shopping malls.

Then I morphed into a typical thrifty-mart-type consumer-rebel; decidedly as happy with a pair of twenty-five dollar knock-off-sneakers, from El Shoe Horn, as a pair of one hundred and twenty-five dollar Nike’s from Upton’s Sporting Goods (names changed to protect the innocent).
I gave up the mall!
Then a recent incident at The Colonial Mall, here in Greenville, only served to remind me of, yet, another good reason not to do the mall-thing: mortal safety!

The shooting, there, of several teens by a rival teen left the community in shock, and bolstered my growing wariness for enclosed-mall shopping.
Then, on a more recent Saturday, I needed an item that I could only find at one of the mall retailers. I thought a quick in-and-out to make my purchase would be a simple enough affair… But, when I left the retailer’s I decided to give the place a walk-through, for old times sake.

I walked to the back-courtyard area, where there was a kiddy-ride. I noticed that there was no music… except for the barely audible strains of MUSAK in the background. So, having my trusty harp in my pocket, which I’m inclined to do, I played several children’s songs. The little children all grinned with pleasure… even Mom nodded her approval. Passers-by smiled and tolerated my impromptu performance.

I was in the middle of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner” (last tune) when I was interrupted by three mall security workers… one of them demanding, “ Excuse me Sir, but you can’t play that in here.”
“Not even THIS SONG?”, I joshed…”I turned and walked away, certain that the mall’s community-relations department had just taken another hit. And learning, yet again, the mall is still as soulless as fake granite tile and high-dollar tennis shoes, and I’m glad they ran me away. After all, they may have saved my life!