The quality of Bakersfield shopping centers is determined by their proximity to ghettos.  The further undesirables have to walk, the more pleasant the shopping center.  Responsible people, of all income strata,  do not use a mall as a babysitter.  Those who do, are much too busy with tattooing themselves or drinking, to properly supervise their many offspring. 

The mall should turn away unaccompanied children under a certain age; let's say under 8, to start. 

Begin howling now.

Have any of you ever lost a child in a store?  Well I'll step up to the plate and admit that I have.  It's a terrifying experience.

My youngest daughter was always a shy, obediant child who never gave me cause for alarm in public.  She never threw tantrums or had crying jags.  I was pretty  happy with her except for one naughty trick she pulled, twice, in Sears.

She thought it was funny to  pull away from my hand and crawl beneath the clothes racks.  It only took a moment or two for her to totally disappear.

I frantically crawled after her beneath the racks  but she was long gone.   I naturally  freaked out and began running up and down the mall screaming her name.     Visions of her being led off by a pervert or run over in the parking lot caused me to run faster,  scream louder and start blubbering.  By the time I got to the point of tearing out my hair and demanding that all the exits be manned by armed security guards,  my sister's voice suggesting we back track to the toy store reached me.

Sure enougth, there she was surrounded by several clerks.  She had turned herself in to Toys R Us.

The next time she took a powder, I swooned and then remembered the toy store.  There she was again!   However, that time convinced me that she was a repeat offender and I swore I'd  never take her to the mall again.  Which I didn't.

Rose was quite an escape artist.  She got lost at Disneyland when it was filled to the rafters with Japanese tourists.  I always disliked Disneyland so it was easy for me to say I'd never go back there again.  I've kept my word  for 20 years.

Nancy

Cat got lost at Sprouse Reitz  (sp?) when she was  four.  I was at  the back of the store looking at curtains and she was right behind me.  When I turned around...... no Cat.   I ran back and forth down the back of the store, thinking she can't have gotten far.

Finally I gave up went to the front of the store to ask for help.    There was Cat sitting on a clerks lap talking to the manager.   They both looked very angy and asked me, "Where WERE you".  I told them, I was running around the back of the store looking for Cat.  They said, "Oh Yeah, well your daughter said she saw you get in the car and drive off. "  My jaw dropped about a foot and I said Whaaaat??  I reminded them that they had both just seen me walk up from the back of the store.  They mumbled something about almost calling the cops but didn't stop me when I hustled us out of there. .  When we got to the car I asked her, "Catherine why  did you tell those people I drove off without you?"  She said,  "I thought you did".   End of story.

 PS Cat doesn't like this story so I don't  tell it often.

At least Ken Lay had the decency to die of a heart attack, Fatt-Kock...........could you do us all a favor and do the same?......we won't miss your lame-ass posts, equating corporate raiders with mall rats.............those are really great (not)..............

There is nothing racial about the word "ghetto".  I believe it means an area where all the money is spent elsewhere. 

Consider this.  I delivered gas for years.  There are no gas stations in what is traditionally the black area of town.  Ask yourself why.