The Mall ''hangout'' syndrome
The shopping malls are increasingly becoming a place of various shenanigans besides the conventional shopping and dining as well as a venue of different business operations. I do go to the different malls around the country, particularly Airport Junction as my mall of preference when I go there, I am either dining or doing a little shopping of my own. Now, before I go there, I usually know what business I am going to conduct and with that said, from my observation, I have been amazed at how some people, particularly young people influx the mall and what do they do there? absolutely jack...nothing! they are usually just sitting around the waiting benches laughing out loudly at what seems to be funny, that is everything.
At one of my errands there, I couldn't help but be drawn to the eruption of a laughter that had me stopped and stared, there was a group of three to four young men who from my interpretation had been mimicking the way people that had been passing by, walked, particularly ladies. Those young men actually stood up and strutted around that sitting bench whenever a lady passed and then after they would burst out in laughter, I stood there peplexed and watched at how much time these young men had on their hands to waste and perform those stupid theatrics in public. I thought to myself of my many people of Art performing skills are actually present in the various malls in Botswana, and frankly, I don't know of any nor have I heard of one but imagine if those guys that were making a nuisance of themselves actually drew crowds with a sensible and professional form of Art.
I think the malls could offer alot more entertainment then your usual cinemas that are owned by foreign companies. If people of art around the country capitalized on the lack of initiative then musical artists, dance artists, poets and instrument playing artists could light up and lively up the corridors of the different malls and "we" the window shoppers, the actual shoppers could then offer a token of appreciation provided we like what we see and hear. This is the kind of crowd and noise that is beautiful from the music, sultry and seducing poetry and the pure melodic strings from a guitar that I would with pleasure frequent the malls at any chance I could get.
The mall hangout syndrome is a fast spreading virus that has infected many by their numbers that one can be broke and starved yet they manage to have kombi fare to take them to the mall and just sit and parade there, unfortunately not many are protected from this epidemic.
