Marshall's Home Store

We went to a local mall this evening because we had to be out for a home showing, and because the mall had food and air conditioning. It's a pretty boring mall, but it does have Marshall's in it. The regular Marshall's has the usual cheap underwear and floppy acrylic ladies' wear and shapeless purses, but attached to it is this surreal place where some semi-independent division takes the parent company's money and buys the weirdest stuff imaginable from all over the globe. This section of the store is popular because it has chairs for sale, and people sit in them in defiance of signs because the underpaid staff simply ignores the customers. So people sit, and chat, and play with their phones, and wander around exclaiming over the items on display.

"Is that a book?" "No, it's a box, it has feet."

"Hey, Lawn Ornament Moses!" (standing next to a half bicycle, half birdcage in antique iron) (I should have taken a photo of Moses, but he was close enough to where the manager sits I didn't quite dare.) I did take a photo of this guy. I think he is Indonesian and maybe a character in a folk tale? The label just said "Decoration" on it. Though when I first saw him, I thought maybe he had been designed by committee.

"People love owls, and they love lawn jockeys; let's make an owl lawn jockey!"

I did not buy him, though I almost bought the book/box, a pet couch shaped like a leopard chaise lounge, and a tiny book of Japanese paper. But I did not because you have to go through the Marshall's regular line, which is huge and full of squalling infants, and the clerks always give you a look. "You are one of those weird Home Store people, aren't you?" And I am.