Today’s episode is the token sad one. With the holiday season in full swing, I was reminded just how empty it is here at The Mall. Go to any other mall around town and you’ll walk in to a place that looked like Santa and his reindeer threw up all over it. There is stuff hanging from the ceilings, decor lining the walkways and most likely a section cordoned off for The Big Guy himself.

Not here. There is nothing. Not a wreath or string of lights or anything. I guess I shouldn’t expect that there would be. In fact I’m not even sure the management company of this mall does anything at all! But walking in on Monday to find nothing changed – and the dark, drab  hallways still dark and drab – was actually kind of sad.

I took a walk on Tuesday. Needed to get out of my chair and move around a bit so I figured, hey, why not mall walk! Usually my British friend goes with me but she was at the other office. So it was just me. Thought about talking to myself as I walked – I would have fit right in!  It was so quiet that I could hear every distinct tip tap of my heels on the floor and then hear the echo of each one.

Here’s a couple of shots of the long empty hallways. Notice there is absolutely no activity.

 

I, however, decorated my cube. Someone’s gotta bring some holiday spirit to this place!! Some of the little holly bits fell off while I was putting it up and the Brit used those to decorate her cube.

 Vs.

Other tidbits:

As I was walking in to work this morning, I saw a guy putting money into one of the dusty candy machines here. I thought, “No, he’s not…is he?” Sure enough, he took the handful of old stale stuff that came out and popped it all in his mouth. GAK! I think I threw up in my mouth a little when I saw it. He was a security guard so I wondered if perhaps it was some kind of training regimen he was putting himself through (like in the military when they purposely gas the soldiers so that they know what it feels like). Regardless, it was nasty.

The Brit, Bob, and I had lunch today at John’s. It’s becoming a Friday tradition. I had spanakopita and fries. John’s fries are awesome! Anyway, we talked about all kinds of things and had a rather lovely time. The conversation ranged from 80’s music videos to age differences in our relationships to gross bathrooms to the military to splitting pants. I believe the word “poo house” was used at one point. We laughed a lot and it was great.

Special guest this week: the Air Force! At today’s lunch, there was a table of Air Force personnel sitting next to us. Offut Air Force Base is not too far from here and I guess they wanted to see what all the fuss over John’s was about. It was one woman and 4 men. And let me tell you, all the guys were hot and the chick looked like Julia Stiles. Not bad to look at over the lunch hour! Hey – I may be married but I’m not dead! 😉

Until next week, consider yourself ANNEXED!