Window Shopping

I went walking. Normally I walk at the fitness center, which is not very interesting. You see the same thing every time, the TV on the machine, or just the window.

But walking downtown is a little more interesting. I did it tonight, and while there did some window shopping. These are stores I don't normally go to. One, I'm not really in the market for whatever they're selling. Two, I hate to get merchants' hopes up by going in, looking around, and leaving without buying something. It's the compassionate side of consumerism, and I'm susceptible to it. Plus, I sometimes suspect they have a little subliminal tape going, which is, "We, the owners of this store, are behind on our rent. We have put all our life savings into this. We've been here five years and haven't made a profit yet. Our children are the butt of jokes because they have holes in their shoes, and because we can't afford to buy them trendy pants that have holes in the knees. You, you alone, are our only hope. Buy something, please. Look around at least. There must be something here you could like, something you could come to need. Plus, we're having a sale. The red tags are on things that are 50% off. We were only making a dime on each one anyway, and now it's a nickel. But it'd be a nickel we don't have now, if only you could find it in your heart to be merciful, please, and buy one, or several."

So, I've got all that running through my mind, and I'd rather stay outside and not endure it. Or do what I did tonight, which is window shop when there's no one there. But even then I'm half thinking they have a video camera, and that they're home watching, wondering why that guy never comes by when we're open. "Is that really too much to ask? We're there 14 hours a day, and this guy chooses to come by at night when obviously we're closed!"

One of the stores I would never go into, yet it was kind of fun looking at their window merchandise was one of the jewelry stores. I'm looking, and, hey, the prices aren't that high. A nice watch with about six dials doing I-don't-know-what-all, but I think one of them must be to tell the time. Some nice necklaces, a string of beads, maybe pearls, some graduation gifts, including one of those nice gold clocks that goes on a desk. I wouldn't want one of those. My desk is never clean enough for that kind of thing.

Another store was the bakery. They had cakes with various designs right in the window. Right where they'd melt. Or maybe they're fake cakes, with real frosting.

All in all, it was a good walk.