Chapter 2 Mandy found herself in a very long hallway. From where she stood, the hall seemed so big that she couldnt see the ceiling or the walls. There were huge, red and white columns that looked like giant candy canes in twos, one with its curve at the base and, Mandy imagined, the other curving at the ceiling. Large ornament hooks littered the floor all around and pieces of broken ornaments peeked from the shadows. A loop of wire that had once been in the top of an ornament, leaned precariously against a column. Mandy took a step that somehow managed to topple it. She felt a breeze as the wire crashed to the floor stirring up a cloud of dust and setting her off sneezing. I suppose I should clean out the ornament boxes once in a while, she thought as she tried to control her sneezing. It must be a long hallway, her thoughts went on, the other end looks from here like a small square where the ceiling, walls and floor almost meet. She didnt see Santa anywhere but she had heard a door slam down there. Mandy walked on down the hall being careful to step over hooks. The hall wasnt as long as it looked. It got smaller the further she went so that she began to wonder if she shouldnt go on a diet right after the holidays so she would fit in hallways easier. There seemed to be a door at the end of the hall. Above the door, words arched, letters shining brightly. When she got close enough, Mandy could read them, THE MALL. After all, she mused, Where else would Santa be going this time of year? And in such a hurry. She got whiffs of hot cocoa and peppermint and she kept hearing bells. Jingle Bells. Jingle, jingle, jingle. At first she could only hear the bells faintly, but the closer she got to the door, the louder they became. A group of adorable children were standing by the door with songbooks and singing, what else, Jingle Bells. Its about time you got here, the elf said to Mandy, appearing so suddenly at her elbow that Mandy jumped and almost slapped the elf. The elf took no notice of her reaction and said, The sooner you get started, the easier it will be you know. Are you all equipped? I can hardly hear you. Do those children have to keep singing? Mandy asked. Oh yes, replied the elf. They help set the mood. It is important that people have some Christmas spirit before they enter THE MALL; its good for business. Well, do they know any other songs? The elf looked at the adorable children, their sweet little mouths opening and closing in perfect unison, then at Mandy and said, Nope. Isnt it supposed to be background music? Mandy was getting desperate. Cant they at least sing a little quieter? Oh, sure. The elf went around to the back of the adorable children and turned down the volume. Sorry about that. I didnt realize that it was so loud. It gets so I don‘t hear it any more. It must be nice to do that,“ said Mandy. Then she thought about what he said earlier, “What do you mean it is a about time I got here? You know that you should have done this shopping much sooner, the elf answered. Things dont get any better when you put them off. Mandy gritted her teeth. As if she didn’t know that and being upset with herself already wasn’t part of the problem. Did you bring everything youll be needing? Are you all equipped? he asked again. Mandy hadnt brought anything that she knew of. There she stood wearing an old Christmas t-shirt that had brown cocoa smudges and a wad of tape on it, an ancient, but comfortable, pair of blue jeans with a couple of light patches where she had gotten wild with the bathroom cleaner and that was about it. Her hair was back in a ponytail to get it out of the way. She hadn’t planned on going anywhere so her feet were bare. Of course she had her purse with her, hanging on her shoulder. She wasnt quite sure when she had picked it up though. The elf had followed her inventory and seemed relieved. I see you have brought the most important thing, your purse. You had better put on some shoes though. Bare feet might be frowned on. And maybe a sweater or something to cover up that shirt. You might want to tidy up your face and hair too. You look like someone planning to send the evening at home alone. Well I had, thought Mandy. He pointed to a door in the corner opposite the adorable children that she hadnt noticed before. There is a bathroom. Go get ready. Ill wait but dont take all day. Mandy didnt know why he had to wait for her at all but she went to the bathroom. She put on the red socks with Ho Ho Ho on them and the shoes that were setting on the floor. Several sweaters and sweatshirts hung from the shower curtain rod. She removed the tape and pulled on a sweatshirt that while red, at least didnt have any cute scenes or witty words on it. Mandy looked at herself in a funny little mirror that hung over the sink. Under the mirror was a shelf and on that shelf there were variety of cosmetics. Her hair could use some work but she wasnt about to use all that makeup, she thought. She was going shopping, not dinner and a movie after all, and she never was one to mess with makeup much. After pulling a comb through her hair, she decide to just pull it back again. At least it was neater and ok for shopping. Mandy stuck her tongue out at her reflection. Her reflection stared at her a minute and then stuck out its tongue at her. Mandy was startled but stuck her tongue out again. The reflection picked up a lipstick and shook it at her. Mandy found that she had picked up the lipstick too and was shaking it back at her reflection. Quickly she put it down and glared at the reflection. The reflection picked it back up and started putting it on. Mandy had to really work to keep from putting on lipstick too. Then the reflection did the rest of her face, foundation, blush, eye color and on and on taking its sweet time about it. Mandy had to hold on to her hands but she could only watch helplessly. It seemed she couldn’t turn from the mirror while this was going on. Well, she thought, so much for getting ready in a hurry. That bossy elf is probably having a fit. Finally the reflection finished. It didn’t look half bad on the reflection but it just wasn’t Mandy. They both turned and went to go out the bathroom door. I guess the reflection needs to worry about its looks when it shops, thought Mandy, or wants me to. Well, that is a bit better, the elf said, You could have used a bit of makeup though. You look like shopping is the last thing you want to do. It is thought Mandy. She was hoping this stupid elf didnt plan to shop with her. If that happened, Santa could have a vacancy in his elf department. Now here is the most important piece of equipment. The elf pulled a Christmas card out from under his hat. More of a Christmas postcard really as it wasnt folded. Put this Christmas Credit card away carefully. If you lose that, youll never get to a perfect Christmas. You will need to show it to buy anything. As Mandy put the card into a side, zippered pocket of her purse, she could see the magnetic strip on the side opposite the snowy scene. Theyre making these things in all kinds of ways these days, she thought. Do you have a few dollars in case you get thirsty or something? asked the elf. As Mandy nodded, he added, And a bit of change in case you run into any of those bell ringers and decide you want to give them something? You don‘t want to charge anything that small. OK, this is it, announced the elf, Time to face THE MALL. Remember, your only chance for a perfect Christmas is at the other end of THE MALL, so keep going no matter what. Basically you are on your own, Thank goodness thought Mandy. Once you enter but we have agents throughout who may be of assistance to you as long as you remember to pay us. We dont do this out of the goodness of our hearts you know. The elf extended his hand and waited. Mandy reached into her purse and pulled out a candy cane with pink and yellow stripes and put it in his hand. The elf said, Thank you, and put the end of the cane in his mouth and disappeared. Almost immediately, the elf reappeared with the cane in his hand. I almost forgot to tell you. Remember your entrance number so that you can use the correct exit at the other end. If you dont then you, here the elf put emphasis on the word you, Will get hopelessly lost. Then he popped the cane back in his mouth and disappeared for good. At least, Mandy thought, he wont be telling me what to do the whole way. Just the same, she felt a twinge being left alone. The handle of the door looked like a glass Christmas ball. It shattered when Mandy tried to turn it. She stood looking at the tiny pieces of glass and the hole where the knob had been. One of the adorable children stopped singing long enough to give a big tsk tsk, with her hand on her hip. She then pulled another glass ornament knob out of her pocket, removed the base of the broken knob and screwed the new one into the hole. Now be a little more careful, the adorable child said. At the rate youre going, you will never get your shopping done. Then she went back to singing Jingle Bells. Mandy carefully turned the handle as she thought about the perfect Christmas. For a second, she thought she caught the glimpsed of something shadowy but when she tried to see it, there was nothing there. The door was so small that she could barely slip through it and she caught on her purse. She tried sideways but she still couldn’t get through. I hope the doors are bigger on the other side, she thought, Id hate to have to try to get all my purchase through the door on the other side. She finally tried taking her purse off her shoulder and pushing it through first. Once her purse was in, the door just seemed to open up for her and welcome her in. Mandy found herself in THE MALL. Nope. Isnt it supposed to be background music? Mandy was getting desperate. Cant they at least sing a little quieter? Oh, sure. The elf went around to the back of the adorable children and turned down the volume. Sorry about that. I didnt realize that it was so loud. It gets so I don‘t hear it any more. It must be nice to do that,“ said Mandy. Then she thought about what he said earlier, “What do you mean it is a about time I got here? You know that you should have done this shopping much sooner, the elf answered. Things dont get any better when you put them off. Mandy gritted her teeth. As if she didn’t know that and being upset with herself already wasn’t part of the problem. Did you bring everything youll be needing? Are you all equipped? he asked again. Mandy hadnt brought anything that she knew of. There she stood wearing an old Christmas t-shirt that had brown cocoa smudges and a wad of tape on it, an ancient, but comfortable, pair of blue jeans with a couple of light patches where she had gotten wild with the bathroom cleaner and that was about it. Her hair was back in a ponytail to get it out of the way. She hadn’t planned on going anywhere so her feet were bare. Of course she had her purse with her, hanging on her shoulder. She wasnt quite sure when she had picked it up though. The elf had followed her inventory and seemed relieved. I see you have brought the most important thing, your purse. You had better put on some shoes though. Bare feet might be frowned on. And maybe a sweater or something to cover up that shirt. You might want to tidy up your face and hair too. You look like someone planning to send the evening at home alone. Well I had, thought Mandy. He pointed to a door in the corner opposite the adorable children that she hadnt noticed before. There is a bathroom. Go get ready. Ill wait but dont take all day. Mandy didnt know why he had to wait for her at all but she went to the bathroom. She put on the red socks with Ho Ho Ho on them and the shoes that were setting on the floor. Several sweaters and sweatshirts hung from the shower curtain rod. She removed the tape and pulled on a sweatshirt that while red, at least didnt have any cute scenes or witty words on it. Mandy looked at herself in a funny little mirror that hung over the sink. Under the mirror was a shelf and on that shelf there were variety of cosmetics. Her hair could use some work but she wasnt about to use all that makeup, she thought. She was going shopping, not dinner and a movie after all, and she never was one to mess with makeup much. After pulling a comb through her hair, she decide to just pull it back again. At least it was neater and ok for shopping. Mandy stuck her tongue out at her reflection. Her reflection stared at her a minute and then stuck out its tongue at her. Mandy was startled but stuck her tongue out again. The reflection picked up a lipstick and shook it at her. Mandy found that she had picked up the lipstick too and was shaking it back at her reflection. Quickly she put it down and glared at the reflection. The reflection picked it back up and started putting it on. Mandy had to really work to keep from putting on lipstick too. Then the reflection did the rest of her face, foundation, blush, eye color and on and on taking its sweet time about it. Mandy had to hold on to her hands but she could only watch helplessly. It seemed she couldn’t turn from the mirror while this was going on. Well, she thought, so much for getting ready in a hurry. That bossy elf is probably having a fit. Finally the reflection finished. It didn’t look half bad on the reflection but it just wasn’t Mandy. They both turned and went to go out the bathroom door. I guess the reflection needs to worry about its looks when it shops, thought Mandy, or wants me to. Well, that is a bit better, the elf said, You could have used a bit of makeup though. You look like shopping is the last thing you want to do. It is thought Mandy. She was hoping this stupid elf didnt plan to shop with her. If that happened, Santa could have a vacancy in his elf department. Now here is the most important piece of equipment. The elf pulled a Christmas card out from under his hat. More of a Christmas postcard really as it wasnt folded. Put this Christmas Credit card away carefully. If you lose that, youll never get to a perfect Christmas. You will need to show it to buy anything. As Mandy put the card into a side, zippered pocket of her purse, she could see the magnetic strip on the side opposite the snowy scene. Theyre making these things in all kinds of ways these days, she thought. Do you have a few dollars in case you get thirsty or something? asked the elf. As Mandy nodded, he added, And a bit of change in case you run into any of those bell ringers and decide you want to give them something? You don‘t want to charge anything that small. OK, this is it, announced the elf, Time to face THE MALL. Remember, your only chance for a perfect Christmas is at the other end of THE MALL, so keep going no matter what. Basically you are on your own, Thank goodness thought Mandy. Once you enter but we have agents throughout who may be of assistance to you as long as you remember to pay us. We dont do this out of the goodness of our hearts you know. The elf extended his hand and waited. Mandy reached into her purse and pulled out a candy cane with pink and yellow stripes and put it in his hand. The elf said, Thank you, and put the end of the cane in his mouth and disappeared. Almost immediately, the elf reappeared with the cane in his hand. I almost forgot to tell you. Remember your entrance number so that you can use the correct exit at the other end. If you dont then you, here the elf put emphasis on the word you, Will get hopelessly lost. Then he popped the cane back in his mouth and disappeared for good. At least, Mandy thought, he wont be telling me what to do the whole way. Just the same, she felt a twinge being left alone. The handle of the door looked like a glass Christmas ball. It shattered when Mandy tried to turn it. She stood looking at the tiny pieces of glass and the hole where the knob had been. One of the adorable children stopped singing long enough to give a big tsk tsk, with her hand on her hip. She then pulled another glass ornament knob out of her pocket, removed the base of the broken knob and screwed the new one into the hole. Now be a little more careful, the adorable child said. At the rate youre going, you will never get your shopping done. Then she went back to singing Jingle Bells. Mandy carefully turned the handle as she thought about the perfect Christmas. For a second, she thought she caught the glimpsed of something shadowy but when she tried to see it, there was nothing there. The door was so small that she could barely slip through it and she caught on her purse. She tried sideways but she still couldn’t get through. I hope the doors are bigger on the other side, she thought, Id hate to have to try to get all my purchase through the door on the other side. She finally tried taking her purse off her shoulder and pushing it through first. Once her purse was in, the door just seemed to open up for her and welcome her in. Mandy found herself in THE MALL. to be continues...
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 13:35:24 +0000
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