You have probably heard about the trend across the country that malls are dying. Recently, I got a close look at the Phillipsburg Mall in western New Jersey in the town of Phillipsburg where I lived for 19 years. The mall is officially closed with only one store remaining, Kohls. In front of the mall, the Friendly's has closed and what's left is a Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and a Panera Bread.
I took a walk on a Saturday morning through the large parking lot to get some bagels at Panera Bread. Below is a picture of what I saw with a former Golds Gym in the background. Walking around the mall it was eerily quiet. There were more trees than you would ever remember being there and of course there were no cars. The bus that used to take people to New York was no longer stopping there.
There was some life in the parking lot, obviously me. I also heard the birds chirping and I did get a picture of one bird that had parked itself in the lot temporarily, but legally.
As I walked around the back of the mall I saw the back fence and found an old bicycle that isn't visible in the picture, but it was all the way in the back right in the middle. You can't even see the fence, but it's there. It's a pretty good picture of a silhouette of some silly guy taking pictures of nothing.
It was a nice walk anyway and I couldn't help but think of one of the best Beatle songs, "In My Life." A lot of things happened in this mall for a lot of people and someday this area will make new memories. It was sad, but I have a memory of this mall that is pretty unique.
In My Life
All my life though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
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