Into the belly of the Beast

We're back from a visit to the Temple of Consumption, a.k.a. Mall of America. I usually just call it the Sprawl of America, as it is only fitting. It is beyond huge.

It was a rainy, cool day and the plans to visit the waterpark got cancelled. Lily has been asking daily to go to the mall and I'm not really sure why. And lately, she puts on her most piteous expression and recounts the cumulative "no's" for the last week or so, like an indictment of the Mother of all Wet Blankets. I've got a lot on my mind and am an easier mark than usual. Kids are pack animals; they can smell fear. So I gave up and gave in.

The best time to get to the MOA is early - as in AARP/Mallwalkers early. It's enjoyable to window shop (which is still an allowable though tempting offense) without the crowds. I used an 80 point pass for the amusement park I had purchased in March 2008 - before the rates went up from high to astronomical. ($3 for a carousel ride? Seriously?) So we felt well-provisioned and the kids got to do lots of rides, but the actual money was spent so long ago it no longer stung. After that, we wandered up to the food court for McD's. It's an increasingly rare indulgence - and I haven't been correcting them when they refer to fast food restaurants as "fat food."

And then - we left. Without incident or whining, or purchasing anything besides lunch. In the hallowed halls of the MOA, this is sacrilege. I was a bit tempted - most stores had huge sales of 50% off, and I do love a bargain. There were several shops going out of business, with lots of grumpy-looking people shopping thru half-empty stores reminded me of scavengers, which is just another form of consumption, when you think of it...

But walking around with two kids is a shopping deterrent in and of itself. Maybe I'll rent them out as part of aversion therapy. Or perhaps they can help increase the aerobic activity of the mallwalkers.

I may have a touch of sancti-mommy, but it's all for the greater good.