Oh my goodness! Look at the cobwebs in here! Time to dust! Or redecorate! Or something!
Ahem.
Yes, I've been absent for quite some time. If your blog is quiet for 4 months can you still call yourself a blogger? At any rate...
I hit the mall by myself this morning. On a mission. I headed to the Gap, determined to leave with one pair of fashionable jeans, damnit. Because how long have I been talking about doing that? Anyway, I was the first customer in the store and had the sales lady all to myself. After trying on about 8 pairs of jeans, I left with my new Long & Leans. And guess what? You needn't be either long or lean to wear them!
After the Gap, I scooted over to the Santa throne. We had such a great experience at this mall with Santa last year, I wanted to see if the same guy was working. Sure enough, he was. He didn't have any visitors, so I walked up to him and asked about his schedule. Little did I know I was stepping into a landmine. He and the young woman at the desk looked at each other - obviously something was up! He'd be there all day today, he said. What about next week? I pressed. Turns out the mall management wants him to wear a fake beard. I was aghast. The guy is the perfect Santa! Real white hair, wire-rim glasses, and a real (albeit scrawny) white beard.
NO! I protested. You're the perfect Santa!
So they asked me to go tell the mall director what I thought. Because this Santa wasn't going to stick around if they made him wear a fake beard. DANG! This is the Santa I want to take my little boy to see again this year.
Off I stormed, to the mall office. I'd never visited a mall office before. I vented to a secretary, as the director wasn't available. Then I went to the web site when I got home, where I blasted off an e-mail to the marketing director and the general manager:
While at the mall this a.m., I stopped to see who was on as
Santa. I was thrilled to see the same Santa we visited last year. When I asked
when he'd be there this week and next, so that I can return with my young son,
he hesitated to say. When I pressed, he mentioned that there's talk of him
being asked to wear a fake beard, and if he has to do that, he might not be
there much longer.
Then I learned that his name is Rick. But at our house he's
the real Santa. His photo has been on our fridge for the past year.
There are a LOT of lousy Santas in town -- poor grammar, not
good with kids, not the slightest bit authentic looking. We like that Santa
Rick is none of those things. He's the real deal, and he's the BEST Santa in
town. Please don't make him wear a fake beard! We love him for his gentle
demeanor and authenticity -- both in behavior and appearance. He's the reason
we'll return to do our Christmas shopping at The Marketplace.
Thanks for listening,
Marie
Will they listen? Do they care what a customer thinks? We'll see...
(ps -- I'm a lot better at Twittering than I am at blogging these days... And by the way, what's all the fuss about Facebook anyway? I'm just not gettin' it... Is it just me?)
