Wonderland IV

-“I don’t have to tell you again Jenny that you must do exactly as I tell you. I want you to simply stand in line in front of me, and ask for the items listed on there.
Don’t talk or look at anyone, do you hear me? Especially not to the police, or guards, or anyone in uniform!” Myrna threatened.

Jenny did not reply; her heart beat accelerated at the prospect of being out in the world for the first time in seven years.
Her eyes devoured everything in sight, and filed it away to examine it later at her leisure under a magnifier glass.

The colossal passage of brightly lit mall was surreal. It was as grand as any palace in the movies, with self-moving stairs, and majestic marble flooring.

The amplified images of beautiful girls beckoned as they seemed to call out to her with a siren’s song.

The clothes displayed on the store front windows were spectacular, and fit for a true princess. And the shoes! Oh, those were sweeter than chocolate fudge. To wear those Jenny thought, would be like stepping into a little piece of heaven, and one would feel elevated to new heights of glamour and beauty.

The throngs of people were overwhelming. The senses went into overdrive, as Jenny ached to touch the things in display. She sprayed the entire perfume samples, one on top of another when her turn came up, and tried on the creams and lotions, even those meant to erase the passage of time.

A pinch on her arm brought her back to reality, as Myrna urged her to move on, as she had already gotten her allotted free loot too.


The wave of people walking towards her and to her sides varied in ethnicity, girth, height, hair color, and it seemed disposition. Why did they not seem thrilled to be here? This was heaven, and a lot seemed to be tired, stressed, and ill-humored.

How could anyone ever feel unhappy here she thought to herself?

After the trek of four malls similar in grandeur, they stopped for lunch at the food court of such mall.

Jenny’s mouth watered as they passed by the various stands at the food court which tempted the palate with scrumptious delicacies.

She was speechless when she caught a glimpse of those seated on the designated eating area. How different from the beautiful models were some of the women who looked to be the size of two women in one.

Myrna was thick, but she had never seen up close such variety of women, children and men. Jenny was mesmerized by how quickly the food was disposed of followed by the automatic drink of a bucket of what seemed to be soda.

-“Stupid girl, here jump on the escalator, and don’t let your shoes be caught in between them!” Myrna told her when Jenny hesitated for several minutes as how to approach this tricky situation.

Jenny did not mind Myrna; she was feeling good to be part of the world. If perhaps only for today, and only under the glass ceiling of the magnificent mall, she would always cherish the memory of this little taste of freedom in the palace of beauty.


By 6:00 pm, when the lines for free gifts expanded to the length of six blocks, Myrna gave up her quest for more free gifts.

-“Bring me all the bags up to my room Jenny.” Myrna said, not allowing Jenny to keep a single perfume or expensive lotion which she had stood in line for almost ten hours for.

-“Hurry up and make dinner. Oh, wait Jenny, I’ve meant to ask you this, when was your last menstrual period?” Myrna asked as Jenny was walking down to the kitchen.

As Jenny settled into her multi-tasking routine of preparing that evening’s dinner, she did not pay heed to that odd question from Myrna. Instead she focused on the still feel good feeling of having experienced a wondrous day.

She turned on the kitchen radio softly to distract away from the noise eminating from the second floor. Myrna and her husband were bickering like dogs and cats in their bedroom.

Jenny wanted to hold on to that good feeling for as long as possible.



To be continued...