Dec 15, 2007

Saturday

How can you not like this? http://www.youtube.com/greeting_view?s=2E2QBX3iZ9E&p=39D5C1F9100A04F9 I don't know what you did Saturday evening, but we went to the mall. We are fortunate to live within walking distance of a very big mall. But of course, we don't walk there because we enjoy driving in circles around the mall looking for a parking space. Don't let anyone tell you that people aren't out shopping because they are. The mall was packed. Two weekends prior to Christmas it is a mob scene. On Saturday night about 75% of the shoppers are Mexican nationals who made the drive from Sonora or Sinaloa, Mexico to load up on Chinese-made crap that is apparently unavailable in Mexico. We definitely appreciate their business. Everyday about 750,000 people cross the border to work or shop, with most crossing into the United States. In the old days before NAFTA, the Mexicans would roll into town with their cars, trucks and SUVs full of empty suitcases, that they would use to smuggle stuff back into Mexico. It used to be the norm for a Mexican family to load up on goods and to open them in the parking lot and stuff them into the suitcases. The parking lots used to be littered with boxes and wrappings. But NAFTA made all legal and that part doesn't happen anymore. Mexico is a country of the haves and the have-nots. The have-nots are the majority, but there are plenty of haves, who regularly make the trek to American cities, ours included, to spend their cash. And they have plenty of cash. Another well-represented group at the mall, and not just at Christmas, are the fine men and women of the cell phone industry. Maybe the mall near you is like this or maybe not, but at our malls there are about twenty booths full of mostly slick-looking young guys trying to hustle cell phones. Cell phone companies are the new used car sales operations. There is nothing that I like less than being accosted every twenty feet by some creepo asking about my cell phone service. In fact, if you have ever been to a Mexican border town you are no doubt familiar with the guys who practically drag you into their establishment for some must-have knick knack. Since so many Mexicans come here to shop, these cell phone hustlers are a kind of karmic payback for them. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky

9 comments:

Bobby D. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bobby D. said...

SPOILER ALERT
do not read the next comment until after you have clicked the youtube link in Merle's post.

Bobby D. said...

WOOO HOOO ....

I guess you are getting in the Christmas Mood eh?

did you know that I

LOVE

J. F.? Seriously, I own so many Cds of his-- even the Spanish ones.

and I always preferred his version of "Light My Fire: even though I like The Doors version a great deal.

This is in my top 5 fave Xmas songs-- along with the Mills Bros. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

Steve Reed said...

That guy has made SO MUCH MONEY with that one song! It's easily his biggest hit, don't you think?

I always feel sorry for those cell phone guys. They're always so young and eager and that must be a miserable job.

Steve Reed said...

Selling cell phones, I mean -- not being young and eager. :)

Bobby D. said...

So much for the big Nor'Easter pounding NYC... um... where is it?

I want my promised Nor'Easter!

Squirrel said...

As you can see--we are not in winter wonderland mode--far from it--it may rain today--that's it/

I do hope the 21st brings a major blizzard though--with deep snows that didn't melt for a week! it would mean a white Christmas!

Anonymous said...

here is a great link--esp if you like Sci Fi books--but even if you don't it is hysterical--and spot on!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/books/review/Itzkoff-t.html?_r=1&ref=review&oref=slogin

Kurt said...

That reminds me: I need a new cell phone.