The Inkwell

Sure, home foreclosures are at levels we’ve never seen before. Banks are now having to reap what they sowed. People who were ready to retire suddenly have worthless 401k’s. Bennigan’s restaurants are now closed forever. (RIP Monte Cristo!) I wonder, though, how many Americans are really, truly feeling the pinch.

My husband and I went to the mall yesterday. It’s a pretty upscale place with valet parking and a concierge. I’m sure Christian Dior would rise up from the grave if he heard the mall managers were bringing in a Claire’s or Spencer Gifts. It’s the kind of mall where the teenagers have nicer cell phones than I could ever dream of having. And all the women were wearing gold or silver sandals, did I miss the memo about metallic shoes being trendy? I must have.

So here come these hillbillies from East Orlando (sweetie, Hammy and me), rolling through the parking lot in our 9 year old Dodge. There isn’t a parking spot to be found. The mall was packed with people - elbow to elbow. Everyone had shopping bags, so clearly people aren’t too worried about overspending. After cruising around the mall for a while, I started to feel self conscious. I was wearing an outfit that was purchased entirely from Target, minus the bra and shoes. The sunglasses, t shirt, undershirt, jeans, socks, belt and purse all came from Target. The stroller I was pushing Hammy in was used, I paid a neighbor $50 for it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled about the financial path we’ve chosen for our family. Wearing $12 Target jeans got us to a very stable place in our finances. And buying a used travel system for $50 not only saved us about $120, it’s good for the environment because it didn’t end up in a landfill. Maybe it’s even good for the economy because we put money in the pockets of our neighbors.

We feel pretty recession proof in our family, even when the media and the presidential candidates are telling us how horrible everything is. So if we are the exception, everyone else must be the ones struggling, right? Then how can the crowds at the mall be explained? I had to pick up a cable at the Apple Store and the place was mobbed, I actually had to wait in line to pay for my stuff. Is that the sign of a sluggish economy?

I certainly don’t have the answers. But I can tell you that “millennia” is spelled wrong at the “Mall of Millenia”.

Here are some photos I took on my cell phone. I couldn’t believe the crowds.

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