I Don't Understand

I don't understand. I never have understood. Someone please explain it to me - what the hell is so exciting about the mall that causes gangs of teenagers to congregate there? Maybe it's because they have the Great American Cookie Co. and no one can resist a big ole pizza-sized slice of chocolate gooey goodness (with yummylicious icing on top). Nah, that's why I go there but it's probably not what attracts the teenagers.

Perhaps they are all flocking to Starbucks. But then again, everytime I walk by there I see mostly women my age and we are nowhere near being teenagers. Besides, there are Starbuck locations all over town, so that's probably not it. What else could it be? Why do teenagers seem to spend so many of their peak social hours walking around the mall? Wait...that's it! Maybe they are just worried about their health and nutrition and have decided to become mall walkers to ensure they get proper exercise. Oops, I forgot mall walkers are usually old (and most kids don't worry about health and nutrition).

I know there are quite a few clothing stores that cater to the 12-25 age group. And there are also several stores dedicated to entertainment. There's even a Spencers (cool gift ideas) and a Hot Topic (one of my fave stores). Yet I don't ever see herds of teenagers inside the actual stores, I just always see them walking. And they're always grouped up, making it impossible to get around them if you happen to come up behind them. Making it impossible to pass by them without veering out of their way if you happen to be walking towards them.

Why do they travel in packs like that? I understand not going to the mall by yourself, who would want to? You need a friend or two, sometimes even three, to go with you and help you decide which pants DO NOT make your butt look big. But these teens travel with an entire posse. We're talking like groups of 10 or 12 kids walking along together, looking like the Jesse James gang with their long black trenchcoats. It seems to me it would be more fun for them to meet their friends at the movies, or maybe go bowling. They could each spend $5 and play old-school video games all night at 1984. Do something other than make me ponder their existance in the mall, because you know what? I don't understand it.

You've probably guessed by now that I had to make a trip to the mall today. I went to JC Penny's and picked up a Christmas gift, then I went to Sears to make a payment on my charge card. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? All the teenagers there thought it was.