Malled

The Burlington Mall opened when I was ten. It was part of the first wave of indoor shopping malls across the country and quite the novelty in the western Boston suburbs. Burlington was three towns away from our house, but that seemed like nothing as our whole family loaded into the woody station wagon to see this great wonder. The parking lot held more cars than I thought existed.

We found a spot a hundred yards away from the nearest door, and I ran those yards like Jim Nance through the Miami Dolphin secondary. Finally (after I waited for the adults to catch up,) we entered.

I thought I was in heaven.

It was the Christmas shopping season and the elaborate decorations in the entry hall made downtown Maynard’s decorations look pathetic by comparison. Christmas music politely cuddled our ears as made our way down the magical hallway until we came to the mall proper.

"The hallway is as wide as Main Street," murmured a bemused patron behind me, and I had to agree. But unlike Main Street with its poorly parked Studebakers and ice water-filled potholes, the Burlington Mall was a wonder of orchestrated festivity. They had a full-sized North Pole, and colorful carolers tastefully accenting (in both music and costume,) the walkway.

Above me twinkled electronic stars that were so authentic that I thought for a moment I was outside.

I wandered in amazement. There was no hurry. Sure, I had presents to buy, but I felt like I was in Disneyland (Disneyworld wasn't open yet.)

The place was packed, but there were places to sit and stay out of the hustle. I chose the fountain with the wooden bridge. The flocking, icicles and an animatronic deer made it feel like a real outdoor winter scene - at seven-two degrees Fahrenheit.

After that trip, Mom never had a problem getting us out to the car whenever she announced a return to this capitalistic Shangri-la.

Sigh...

I went to the mall today. It wasn't the Burlington Mall; it was one close to where I live now. I traveled a quarter of the distance we had forty-six years ago, and I begrudged every kilometer. I could have parked by the door, but chose a place less likely to get my car keyed.

I entered into a narrow hallway that was poorly lit. The only attractions in this particular stretch were two bathrooms. Though the men's was clearly marked, wads of adhesive from a long-lost sign indicated the women's bathroom. Once into the mall proper, there were stores alternating with darkened fronts, and scores of tiny kiosks littering the once-broad thoroughfares.

"Sir, can I ask you a question?" said a man at a kiosk as I passed.

"You already did," I replied and I kept walking. Yes, I was rude, and I was ripping off an old Vaudeville line, but the scent of desperation wafting from commission sales clerks kept me moving. Unfamiliar music blared from the poorly balanced music system. A bored teenager clicked her polished nails on a smart phone. She sat at a kiosk that had the bottom half of several mannequins protruding upside down from its counter. I had no idea what she was selling and wondered if she did. Though I was moving quickly, a pack of senior citizens passed me. One of them wore a tee shirt that said on the back, "If you can read this, you're being left behind."

And I felt behind. I felt that the wonder of indoor shopping was dead and buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in my past.

I didn’t even know it was sick.

And so I find myself wondering. Is the contrast due to degradation in mall-hood, or am I viewing the past through sugarplum tinted glasses?

Has the age of the mall passed, or have I passed the age for malls?

Even Buddy senses the magic is gone.

Pickle's Cristmas Wonder Part Two

For the sake of saying something positive about Christmas (and because I’m lazy,) I’m letting Will Wright post his story Pickle’s Christmas Wonder from the Bethlehem Writers Group anthology A Christmas Sampler. link

Part one ended with Holly the elf telling Pickle and the rest of the toys that it was time to get into Santa’s sack.

Pickle’s Christmas Wonder

Part Two

by Will Wright

 

Holly, the elf walked up with a big sack.

“It’s time to go in Santa’s sack,” said Holly

“The sack’s too small,” said Pepper. “Reginald won’t even fit in there all by himself.”

“It’s a magic sack,” said Holly, and she picked up Reginald and threw him inside. Reginald didn’t stick out at all, but Pickle could hear, “clang, clang, clang!” coming from inside.

Pickle thought that Santa’s sack would be dark and crowded, but it wasn’t like that at all. There were more toys than he could count inside and everyone was singing “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells.” Pickle found Thistle, Taffy and Bowser, and the bears sang in four-part harmony like they learned at bear school.

When they got to Willie’s house, Santa pulled Pickle, Pepper, Loopy and Reginald out of his sack. He hung Pepper on the Christmas tree. He looked very pretty with a Christmas light behind him. Then, Santa put a big bow around Reginald together with a sign that said, “To Willie from Santa,” and put him in the middle of the room. Then he put Loopy and Pickle, side-by-side, at the top of Willie’s stocking.

“That looks just about right,” said Santa.

Pickle looked at the room. Reginald was so big and shiny. Willie would never even notice Loopy and him at the top of the stocking.

Santa clucked Pickle under the chin, and it made the bear laugh.

“That’s better,” said Santa. “Now remember, Pickle, you have a job to do.”

“I’m supposed to wish for Willie to have the best Christmas Wonder possible.”

“That’s right,” said Santa.

“But Santa,” said Pickle, “Reginald will be Willie’s Christmas Wonder, and Reginald said he doesn’t even care. He just wants to have fun and go fast.”

“That’s Reginald’s job,” said Santa. “But Christmas bears have a different job, and you’re a Christmas bear. Remember what Buddy taught you, and you’ll do fine.”

So instead of feeling sorry for himself, Pickle started wishing. He didn’t worry about anything else – even if he ended up under the bed collecting dust. All that mattered was that Willie have a great Christmas Wonder. It didn’t matter if that Wonder was a funny tickle, a happy sigh, a warm feeling or something to eat. It didn’t matter if the Wonder was a big, shiny, fast fire truck that went clang, clang, clang. What mattered was that Willie’s Christmas Wonder was a wonderful Wonder.

So all night long, Pickle wished and wished and wished some more, until sunlight came through the window and he heard little feet on the stairs.

“Oh boy!” said Reginald, “we’re going to have fun!”

“Fun?” said Pepper. “Like having a Christmas tree light melt my stripes all night?”

“Oh look,” said Loopy. “He just came around the corner. He’s so cute! I’m a sucker for him already.”

Pickle looked across the room at three-year-old Willie with his bright eyes and curly hair, and something happened inside. Pickle’s little bear heart started beating and wouldn’t stop.

And each little beat said, “I love you.”

Willie ran across the room, jumped over the big new fire truck, and pulled Pickle out of the stocking.

“You smiled at me,” said Willie. “Mommy, the teddy bear smiled at me.”

“That’s because it’s Christmas,” said Willie’s mother. “Wonders happen at Christmas – especially with Christmas bears.”

That night, Willie’s mother looked in on her little boy. He was hugging Pickle the bear tight. A silly lollypop looked down at the two from the bedpost. A shiny new fire truck was resting at the foot of the bed. It needed the rest. The truck had gone fast and had fun all day long.

Willie’s mother went back down stairs, gathered up the candy canes, and put them in a candy dish – even one whose stripes looked like they were melted, and then she sat down and put her head on the chest of her oldest friend. She listened for his heart.

Each little beat said, “I love you.”

“Did you have a good time with Santa at the North Pole?” she asked.

“I did,” said Buddy, “but it’s good to be home.”

“It’s good to have you home,” said Willie’s mother whose name was Lynn. “And thank you for my little boy’s Christmas Wonder.”

 

Gee – that was a little too sweet for this blog. I think I’m going to have to post my brand of Christmas story in the next post.

And to balance off the sweetness, here’s a video of a shopping mall Santa with a bit too much imagination.

Pickle's Christmas Wonder Part One

In the spirit of the season (and because I’m lazy,) I’ve decided to reprint Will Wright’s story, Pickle’s Christmas Wonder as it appears in the Bethlehem Writers Group’s award-winning anthology, A Christmas Sampler. link

It might be a bit sappy – but go with it. As it’s a bit long, I’ll post it in two parts.

Pickle's Christmas Wonder

Part One

by Will Wright

The North Pole has the finest bear school in the world. Pickle, Thistle, Taffy, and Bowser were very excited to learn all about being bears. They were not going to be just regular bears, either. They were going to be Christmas bears!

Buddy Bear was the teacher of bear school. He had been a Christmas bear when he was new. Santa made Buddy the teacher because his friend, Lynn, read him every story there was about Santa and the North Pole.

You see, bears, no matter how smart they get, still need their people to read to them.

Pickle, Thistle, Taffy, and Bowser learned how to bring sweet dreams, and to keep the bed bugs from biting. They learned how to turn a smile into a giggle, and a giggle into a laugh. They learned how to soak up tears and turn them into love.

And they learned about the Christmas Wonder.

“Every year,” said Buddy, “each boy or girl who believes in Santa gets one Christmas Wonder.”

“Is it a warm feeling?” asked Pickle.

“Is it a funny tickle?” asked Thistle.

“Is it a happy sigh?” asked Taffy.

“Is it something to eat?” asked Bowser.

“It can be anything,” said Buddy, “though I never heard of one that was something to eat. As Christmas bears, it is our job to wish for our boy or girl to get the best Christmas Wonder possible.”

“How do we do that?” asked Pickle.

“We do it,” said Buddy, “by wishing what’s best for our boy or girl, no matter what – even if it’s not good for us.”

“Even if it’s not good for us?” said Pickle, Thistle, Taffy, and Bowser.

“A bear is unselfish,” said Buddy. “Because Christmas bears love so much.”

It was the hardest thing that Pickle learned at bear school. How do you want something for someone else even if it’s not good for you? He almost didn’t take his pie ursa bearra diploma at graduation.

“Don’t worry,” said Buddy Bear. “The secret is love.”

Holly the Elf led the new graduates to Santa’s great hall where there were many toys, puzzles, candies and treats waiting for Santa to decide where each gift would go.

“Today we learn the name of the boy or girl we will go to on Christmas day!” said Thistle.

Thistle went to a girl named Chrissy. Taffy went to a girl name Danielle. Bowser went to a boy named Spike. Pickle was happy for his friends, but was sad to see them go.

“Now,” said Santa, “This next list is for a boy named Willie. Willie is three years old and he believes in me.”

“That means he gets a Christmas Wonder,” said Pickle to the peppermint candy cane next to him.

“Shush!” said the candy cane. “I want to hear this!”

“On Christmas,” said Santa, “Willie will get Pepper the candy cane, Loopy the lollypop, Pickle the bear, and Reginald the fire truck.”

“My boy’s name is Willie!” said Pickle.

“He’s my boy too,” said the candy cane who had shushed him before. “But Willie’s getting a fire truck. That just means I’ll end up in a candy dish, and you’ll collect dust under the bed.”

Pickle didn’t think that Pepper was very friendly.

“Oh don’t mind him!” said a lollypop behind him. “He’s just an old stick in the mint.” The lollypop hopped over Pickle’s head, and balanced on his stick.

“I’m Loopy,” he said.

“I’m Pickle,” said Pickle. “It is very nice to meet you.”

“I wouldn’t know,” said Loopy. “I’ve never met me before.”

Pickle decided that Loopy was a little confusing, but he was a very friendly lollypop.

“Clang, clang, clang,”

There was a big red toy fire truck behind Pickle. It was one of the biggest toys in Santa’s hall – even bigger than most of the tricycles.

“My name is Reginald,” said the fire truck. “If your name’s Pickle, hop up on my running board and hang on!”

Pickle did just that, and Reginald sped off so fast that Pickle’s cloth ears folded back in the wind.

“You’ve got a good grip,” said Reginald. “That’s a good thing, ‘cause I think we’ll be doing this a lot when we get to Willie’s house. Clang, clang, clang!”

“Hey! Where’s the fire?” Pepper grumbled as they circled around him.

“That’s not much of a Yule spirit, Pepper,” said Loopy. “Are you sure you’re a candy cane and not a misshaped sour ball?”

Pickle very much liked riding on Reginald. He was a very fine fire truck, so big and fast and pretty. “Willie is very fortunate to get such a wonderful toy,” said Pickle

“Yeah,” said Loopy hopping up and down on his stick. “Willie will be crazy about him. He’ll be Willie’s Christmas Wonder.”

“Yeah,” said Pepper. “Willie will wonder why Santa even bothered bringing us.”

“Douse that kind of talk!” said Reginald. “Christmas is supposed to be fun. Willie will have fun with all of us!”

“But Loopy is right,” said Pickle. “You’re sure to be Willie’s Christmas Wonder.”

“I know you can sure lick me,” said Loopy.

“I don’t care what Willie’s Christmas Wonder is,” said Reginald. “I just hope that he likes to have fun – and go really fast! Clang, clang, clang!”

Holly, the elf walked up with a big sack.

“It’s time to go in Santa’s sack,” said Holly

Log in Monday for the conclusion.

Here’s a follow-up video from the last post – a series of Christmas light shows.