She went to the yarn shop earlier today in search of a pattern and some yarn. The first shop she visited is the one in the fashionable West End. The place was nuts. The woman showed Jean what the volunteers at the hospitals tend to use for baby hats, and Jean purchased some navy and yellow yarn. What I didn't know was that Jean also went to a number of other places, including the mall.
Malls are terrible places.
I worked in several malls before coming to the University in 1988. Probably the saddest time I can remember was Halloween, when bunches of parents who trusted merchants more than neighbors showed up with their kids. Shortly after six every October 31st the circular stream of little children in costumes would begin, and each store would position a staff member at the doorway to hand out candy. After an hour it was all over. How sad that our sense of community has become commercial.