Annual visit to the Mall

I just finished reading a book called "Zoo Story-Life in the Garden of Captives" by Thomas French.

It is well written story about the characters -both human ( zoo keepers, the CEOs of zoo, and visitors) and of course, the resident animals -at the Tampa Lowry Park zoo. It is an observatory and analytical account of the personalities that enter the zoo encampment.
Once a year around this time of year I venture out to a Mall.
I don't go there to shop.
I go there to see the Christmas decorations and to watch the people.
A Mall is like a zoo for humans.
It is an artifical environment designed similarly like a zoo.
There are fake trees, food courts, artifical lighting, pumped in music, and aisles for walking.
You could write a social doctorial thesis alone on observing human behavior at a Mall.
Malls are primarily geared to teens and 20 somethings. Basically,t he mating age group.
Stores that lure this group are :Wet Seal, hot Topic, Spencer gifts, Forever 21, a store that sells body piercing jewelry, and a fast food venue that teens like.
Stores geared for the over 40 crowd is : J.Jill, JCrew, the Gap and Talbots. These stores SUCK big time and I swear, drive adults -with any taste in fashion -out.
I sat on a bench and watched people hurry by aimlessly. Most had cell phones glued to their ears.

Interestingly enough, I noticed young women wearing nice fashionable shoes had shopping bags. The ones with crappy shoes did not. Thirty some-thing men gathered nervously at the chain jewelry stores. Mothers with young children always seemed to be in a hurry. The over-weight lumbered by as this was their only form of exercise for the month. Teens always gathered in herds posing.
I made the mistake of parking my arse down on a bench with a cup of dunkin donuts coffee seated outside a store called Charlette Russe. As I was observing other people and making mental comments about them in my mind comparing them to as zoo creatures. I failed to include myself in this diorama.
And yet, I consider myself as a "hunter".
I caught myself glaring at the wall of colorful platform shoes and boots in the display window of this shop.
They had shoes in every candy color imaginable. I caught myself swallowing hard and had to get up and walk away.
I wonder if the sharks in the aquarium feel this way when they circle and can see the zookeepers carrying buckets of fish-bits walk by?
Hmmmm...