Journal: SM City Iloilo's Free Air Conditioning

My mother is lying down on the bed, obviously uncomfortable while I check my photos on Facebook. Suddenly a voice behind me whispered, "Let's got to SM. Its really hot in here and if we use the aircon, our electricity bill will be taller than Everest". I froze and I tried to look behind me, wondering who this phenomenal economist is. Its my mother, gripping the remote and looking very enthusiastic.

I took a bath as fast as I can, preparing myself for exposure to thousands of other malling people. If life is a stage, the mall is YouTube. Thousands can see you there so its only proper to try prepare yourself for such limelight. 

We passed through the welcome arch of SM and parked at the nearest lot. We entered the mall, reclined at Figaro (a cafe) with my mother's friend. It felt like home if you have thousands of housemates. It was noisy but entertaining noisy, not annoying noisy.

SM Mall, Lower Ground Floor

So we sat there until lunchtime. Another friend of my mother arrived and we decided we chew on some ribs from Kenny Roger's so we did chew on ribs for another hour. My mother and her friends had to go to the BINGO and as the only one in the group below the "BINGO age bracket", I had no say. BINGO's don't hurt me. I'm still a minor but when I'm not wearing a uniform, I'm good as a 21 year old so nobody really throws me out of the BINGO hall. BINGO amazes me. I never thought it was more than a farm dog. Looking at the massive amount of people enjoying the random calling of numbers was keeping me curious. I do not play, for the math's sake so I just watch those who play.

The Grocery Area, SM Iloilo

After sometime, I got tired of watching people do BINGO. I got out of the hall and investigated the mall. Most people go to the mall for the shops, I go to the mall for the mall itself. Its a giant collection of merchandise no one will be able to appreciate in a single day. Its also action everywhere. On another corner, a man is buying an expensive watch for his aging wrists and on the other corner, a baby is throwing up. Its random and fun. Just like BINGO, but the numbers are the people.

HUMAN, the store where I bought

my new bag from. Pretty cool store.

After a few minutes of walking around the mall, I saw this small bag that I liked very much. I have a Girbaud leather bag which is too big to carry around for casual strolls. My leather bag was made for schooling where you need to carry numerous books and I needed this smaller bag. It was a cheap bag running under 7 Dollars and it was beautiful and it looks like it can last for more than a year. So I bought it but now, I'm still figuring out what if I bought the t-shirt which retails at the same price.

The mall is a fun place. Its like a giant TV with a lot of characters, most of which you will never understand. I hope malls will never have admission tickets in the future.