I was walking though the mall one day

For no particular reason at all, just passing the time away

I was there with my boyfriend and we were doing our usual routine of walking and talking

We’ve both always enjoyed people watching

I guess that’s partly why we like going to the mall

We go there sometimes when we aren’t really even looking for anything at all

And that’s fine

It’s just something we do to waste some time

It’s better than just sitting around at our houses

So we thought we’d get out and look around at the t-shirts, the jeans, and the blouses–

Anyway,

That’s enough of that, I’ll get back to the specific events of that day.

Like I said we were just walking around

And one thing I could not help notice was all of the sounds

Every time we’d walk past a store

A different tune would emerge from its core

Attempting to briefly describe

Its personality but it struck me as more of a bribe:

“Come in here! We won’t bite!”

But they will chew up your money right out from under your sight.

Once again, I’m sorry, I’ve fallen off track

I have to get back to my story…

So on top of the sound of the music from the stores creating a sort of Doppler Effect

Another thing I noticed and could not forget

Is the bits and pieces of different conversations

All so entirely different like they were their own little nations

A small group of preteens giggled and gossiped as they did fly by

No sooner did the clique disappear I heard a baby cry

A mother and her children: one infant, two sons, and a daughter

Mom said “we’re leaving” but the children, they fought her

Awkward… As I quickened my pace to sooner pass them by

The next I encountered was a group of young guys

Not so young as the girls from before

No, they looked as if they were about twenty-four

With all their ears stretched and tattoos and their chains

I feel like they did it to be different but quite frankly they all look the same…

Next walking towards me is an elderly pair

A man and a woman with thinning white hair

They look very humble and seemingly fair

I wonder what they would think of those guys back there

It’s funny to wonder why each of them have come

And even to wonder where they’re all from

Did they come here as we did, just for something to do?

Is this place an escape, or did they just come for some shoes?

All of these types, with each such a different face,

For one reason or another we all ended up at this very same place.