FIELDS.

Among the row of small retail fronts, it only seemed to distinguish itself by being closest to a major store, but seemingly unnoticed. Shoppers passed by barely giving it a glance.

The only activity was the wandering back and forth of the retail clerk. A tall dark haired woman who looked like she didn’t know how she got there. They say retail is plagued by the agony of monotony. Where one moment drags into another, the only excitement when the next week's schedule appeared. The job did not stretch the brain or offer any degree of decision making. The customer was always right. You were just filling a time slot.

I gazed upon it all from a comfortable seat in the middle of the mall aisle. I liked the mall most for its seats. Perhaps I kept looking at the store mostly for the oddity of its name, FIELDS., the period puzzled me. Its meaning and origin far more interesting than the bland stock the store seemed to carry. I googled the store name and got the idea. They hinged their hopes on the California trendy styles would lead people to the store. The dot at the end of the name, just a symbol of how trendy it was. No dot-com needed. I looked at the empty store again, the creative effort did not seem to make the leap.

I was just about to get up and walk away. The appearance from the back of the store of a man and stylish young woman with a clip board stopped me. They walked out of the store and sat a few seats from me. She waved at the owner of the store across the aisle. “Aw, a mall rep” for sure. The man from FIELDS., probably the manager or maybe owner, wore concern on his face.

They sat close enough for me to hear some of comments. The clip board had two typed sheets on top and several blank pages underneath. She took the top sheets and put them behind the blank ones. “A pro,” I thought. The owner spurted out how the new lines would energize the revenue stream, new signage was planned. I wondered how many months they were behind on the rent? 

After taking notes, the rep pulled up the two typed sheets. She reviewed it with him, he nodded  understanding and went back in the store. Getting up, she again glanced at the store owner across the way. Who watched her walk away down the mall, happy he didn’t get the top sheets. As for FIELDS., a period can mean other things.