I drove by the Green Hills Mall this past Saturday because it is situated directly between the house I live in and the nearest Walgreens. Given the state of the economy - 534,000 losing jobs over the last month (Nov), I expected the mall to look more like a set out of an old Western movie - mostly abandoned with the exception of drunks hanging from the doors of Cheesecake Factory at midday and the passing tumbleweed - than the mall of, say, 2004.
As I got closer I began to see the Christmas lights hanging in the three story atrium from across the hill. I could already see the unavoidable, impenetrable ring of cars all drooling for a parking spot like sharks circling their prey. I was shocked! Isn't everyone out of money? Didn't everyone get fired over the last 30 days? Something doesn't add up.
But wait, even if I'm out of money... I guess we could all just put it on the card. Great Idea! People use their cards for different reasons. Sometimes we want the airline miles. Sometimes it's the Marriott Rewards. But a lot of times it's because we don't have cash. Not just, "I don't have cash at the moment." BUT "I don't have THE cash." There's a difference. When a majority of America is spending money it doesn't have and will soon owe most of it at a sky high interest rate, something bad will happen. Multiply that with inflated house prices and money tied up on Wall Street in inflated stocks and the last 3 months happen. Poof! Gone. Our economy built on fake services and fake investments was over-inflated. There was no real wealth there. The country's productivity did not increase. But back to the mall...
It is strange to me when my usual 4 minute run to Walgreens turns into a good half hour trip. If things are supposed to be this bad across the country, then why is everyone shopping? It doesn't add up. People must be spending money in there. I can only hope everyone is making deposits in the ATMs. So here's the warning: Don't go to the mall and spend your "disposable (slash non-existent)" income on an LV Purse or a Burberry Suit and expect to get bailed out. What do you think you are as big as GM?
3 comments:
I have had these same thoughts...but I think it might just be the areas that we are in aren't suffering as much as others. Walmart is still doing great :) Walmart = Todd & Erin's jobs.
Yes, you are a greeter and Todd is in electronics right?
I have thought the SAME exact thoughts the past 2 weekends. One thought was at the Titans game with thousands of people screaming around me. We are all so quick to comment on the state of the economy, but sure, lets shell out $70 per ticket to watch men smash into each other. So interesting.
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