Were we just making a mountain out of a mall- hill

HE said “Stop #$@%^* gtsw?”+*&% mentioning the mall.” I said “No”, which I think may have got me into more trouble than a loose chip outside Harold’s Seafood, and no it wasn’t the boss, but someone of standing in the community.

He told me that malls are failing around the country and ours must go to improve things, which of course it didn’t. The reason I mention this, is that I’m writing to you from the failing Brisbane Mall, with thousands of people, big shops, and now 24 hour restaurants. My girl can spot a Tiffanies from 500ks away, so I was doomed.

Hang on, true we are not Brisvegas, but we are growing and now having great shopping centres we need something different in the city, anyway, it’s gone and that’s it, we move on.

Interesting enough, research now shows we should have kept it and the greenery! When I told the researchers we even had glorious rainforest milkwood trees, and we cut them down in the middle of the night, they couldn’t believe it. In the night because, along with other ratbags, I was ready to chain myself to them, maybe not exactly chains ( perhaps a cable tie or elastic band) – we wanted to show we care.

These trees attracted the birds, and every night in the gloaming, flocks of birds would come in, visitors and locals alike there to enjoy the show. And we had our own Brissy Mall Pig and Whistle, with Hoges, true things were a little tough, but it had nothing to do with the mall itself, a little re- thinking for the future may have saved it, or parts of it.

I’d like to quickly add that this is my opinion only, as I think our poor editor after reading the first sentence has been sent off to therapy, sorta like last Thursday, coincidently reading same column!

Here I am sitting in a mall, and it’s fantastic. I’m sure they’ll come up with something, after all, lifestyle is the big thing, we have sunshine, a beach around the corner, and so much more. Maybe Gregory St could be a Bulimba, with a new name of course, and our Gregory St has a beach! Actually, a few of them.

I had to laugh at a few people looking at me strangely here in Brissy mall, I guess they’re thinking, “He’s using a pen and paper”. Unusual I know.

Reason in Brisbane, my dear mum’s birthday, and yes my lovely girl and I spoiled her, and I must thank my bosses for giving me an extra day off to be with her. I’m now on the plane heading back to paradise, still writing into one of those paperblank books, I love them, no recharging. I look through the window at the clouds on the table of blue, then at my mum, fast asleep, and 91 and one day, I’m a fortunate fellow.

Happy days.