The Mall Crowd.

Saturday afternoon I went shopping with my sister and her friend. We went to Garden State Plaza, a good-sized mall with a lot of foot traffic. Around lunch time on a Saturday, though, it is VERY crowded, with an interesting mix of people from all over northern New Jersey.

She wore black, closed-toed shoes with a small heel, black patterned stockings, a black mini skirt, and a red sweater. All of the employees at Victoria's secret were wearing the same colors. While she looked put together, I thought her skirt was a little too short for work. Still, she carried herself with pride and confidence. Had I looked at her face and posture first, I probably wouldn't have noticed the skirt.

He was tall, bald, with glasses. I guess he was there with his daughters, waiting in line to pay while they were off somewhere else. He looked around casually, quietly. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't frowning either. I wonder if he was happy to be spending the days with his girls, or whether he thought it was a chore.

I was waiting in line to try on a few shirts--a long line. A girl in a puffy purple winter jacket walked up to the girl in front of me and started to wait in line next to her. The size of her coat made it seem like I had just been cut by four other people. I don't like waiting in lines to begin with, and I resented her and her jacket for making me wait longer. It was way too hot in the crowded store to be wearing an insulated jacket, anyway.

Her pace was quick. She wore running sneakers, black leggings, and a hooded sweatshirt. Her hair was pulled pack tightly into a pony tail. Clearly, she was at the mall simply running errands, looking straight forward as she swiftly passed people by.

A little boy sat on a bench, a huge smile on his face as he ate a big cup of frozen yogurt, complete with sprinkles and chocolate syrup. I thought it was ironic that he was also bundled up from head to toe, his mother taking care to see that he was protected from the cold. Ice cream is always in season!