What did people do before malls? Where did they go to escape time and space and feel as if they were living in a sort of low impact limbo? The modern mall offered some third space in between the comfort and privacy of home and the untamed stimulation of the streets with its weather, noise, and unpredictability. In my little town that had not yet reached maturity there was almost nothing open and very little to do. Just miles and miles of undeveloped fields and the occasional unassuming strip mall. Fairview Mall was one of the first of its kind and felt like a new kind of future. Sheltered from the harsh Canadian winter it was climate controlled and free of pollution, dirt and Nature's animal energy. Entering it changed you subtly. Deadened your senses a little, which could feel calming or numbing depending on your perspective. There was a particular acoustic quality too. Almost like the artificial background noise you'd hear in films and TV shows. A sort of white noise of bland...
