Thanks to Global Warming Climate Change (GWCC) it was cold and wet this morning, so I drove to West in search of "Valu Paks" of .22LR and a haircut. The barber was closed, along with most of the town, but the rumored .22 was there. Good result.
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| Downtown West |
I took some time to wander around because I like West and its interesting Czech history. I understand some people still speak the language but regardless, the town's seen better days.
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| West Has Seen Better Days |
Maybe the place will find a new source of income and prosperity, then again, maybe it'll simply continue its slow slide into decay and ruin. Like Detroit, but in rural Texas. Struck by that, I headed back along I35 and stopped at my town's Outlet Mall.
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| Dead and Dying Outlet Mall |
This was opened in the 1980s, promising wealth and jobs. Today it's mostly empty; here's a review, off of Yelp:
What I have to say about this place is probably the same that I can say about Afghanistan: bombed out and depleted. Like another reviewer mentioned, the only thing that makes this location complete is tumbleweeds blowing across the parking lot.
I took some pictures because I like to record the fall of what passes for our civilization, and was stopped by "Security."
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| Mall Security Guarding the Empty Shops |
Our conversation went like this:
"You can't take pictures here! No.""Why not?"
"Well... I'm not rightly sure, sir, but no pictures allowed.""Look, they're not even real pictures, they're digital.""Maybe they'll hurt the buildings, sir. I been working here ten years.""That's a very long time! And it's been a real pleasure to meet you. God bless.""You too, sir!"
I liked the old man and off he went in his blue golf cart into the empty car park of the empty mall. I didn't ask why or how the pictures would hurt the buildings.
That was obviously magic, country magic.
God bless,
LSP
