LET ME IN, LET ME IN!

   FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2ND., 2016
        LET ME IN, LET ME IN!

    I've heard a lot stories over the past
few years about the decline of Shopping
Malls. I guess, to some extent, I've been
partially responsible.
     I admit I hadn't gone to the Wyoming
Valley Mall on a regular basis since the
movie theaters there move out. But that
changed about a month ago.
      I like to take my 15-month-old
grandson for walks in his stroller. But
when the warm weather disappeared I
decided a stroll through the mall might
be appropriate.
       We had visited twice during
November, both times entering through
the Sears store at the western end of
the complex. Negotiating our way
around lawn tractors and tools was
a bit risky with a young man who
wants to touch everything. So when
we visited Thursday I found a great
parking spot just off the main entrance
and started inside.
       But the main entrance includes a
set of steps. Another challenge for
someone using a stroller. No problem.
There's also a ramp for the disabled.
We decided to use that. At the top
there's a switch. You simply push it
and the door opens automatically.
         Well, it's suppose to! It our
case it made some mechanical noise
but gave no sign of opening.
         No problem. I'd just open it
manually. But it wouldn't give!
We had to retrace our path and go
back down the ramp, bypass the
stairs and sneak in through a side
door near an arcade. Of course
without an automatic door you
have to reach ahead of the stroller
and make sure you get through
before the door swings shut.
         I alerted a store clerk then,
later, a maintenance worker about
the problem.
         About an hour later we
tried to leave through the
automatic door leading to the
ramp. Guess what? It was
still frozen shut. So glad we
weren't trying to negotiate
this exit in a wheelchair or
during a fire emergency.
        Maybe Malls are in trouble
because....sometimes....you can't
get in!
         Hope somebody gets this
fixed before there's an emergency,
and that all your NEWS is good!