Abercrombie and Fitch, and Abbie

Abbie had a mesmerizing experience last week, at Abercrombie and Fitch. Note: I hate A&F. There isn't a store that I won't set foot in, except for A&F. It's so "clicky", a retailer trying to sell a look to people that, bottom line, says: "stop being ugly, ugly doesn't sell." Well, the fact that they gratuitously exploit any type of negative "ism" in the dictionary to sell t-shirts like hotcakes doesn't really make me a fan.

Regardless, or "irregardless" (as undoubtedly A&F customers would say) Abbie got the shock of her life while walking in front of their store at the Fair Oaks Mall. She let go of my hand, and simply stood there, at the entrance of the store, staring at this typical "A&F's Boys" poster. She stood motionless, totally devoured by how big, shiny, and obnoxious the whole thing was. Loud music blared from inside the store, but (unlike her usual self) she didn't try to dance, she didn't wiggle and jump around to the rhythm. I called her, over and over, and over, but she just stood there. Staring. Motionless and speechless.

Finally, a few minutes into this, I picked her up and walked away, telling her "don't look back, honey! Look into the light! Look into the light!"

Poor kid. Scarred for life.