Observations on shopping in a crowded down town shopping mall on any summer sunday

The kiosks that litter the aisles make basic walking already tricky. Now each one has a fisherman on the hard-sell, sometimes two. And it’s as if they’re contractually bound to make you say NO twice. One had an iPad app to show me as their terminal as their pitch followed for a good 12 paces. I can see that inevitable day perhaps 30 years from now, hopefully more, when the mall scene from Minority Report.

It’s been YEARS since I’ve walked an Old Navy slowly with an agenda. It seems they’ve exhausted any creative effort and have gone sour. Giant corporate logos on no less than 70% of their men’s tops.

All clerks, all stores are more aggressive. Wait, persistent. Like before, they’re driving up that strange road of asking twice.