Teenage Rituals

Today was the third weekend for me to walk in the mall.  Ellen is at the age where everyone wants to meet at the mall to socialize.  The start of teenage independence - a sort of semi chaperoned way of having freedom of visits outside of the homes.  A place for chance meetings with other groups of mall girls or even a boy or two.  I used to just sit and people watch but upon A.M.'s suggestion, I have taken up walking for exercise.

My teenage ritual was getting dropped off by my parents at the rollerskating rink.  Everyone (boys and girls) met a the rink and rollerskated to the top 40 hits.  It was a way the guys could enjoy the music and simulate a "dance" without asking the girl individually to the floor.  There was even the illusion that if your skating pattern followed the right girl, you were "dancing" with her (maybe that's like the guys walking along with the gals in the mall nowdays).

M.I. asked, last night, what was the purpose of physically being at the mall, when the kids were not with you, and independently walking elsewhere.  My response was easy -  "The purpose of chaperones is to give just enough space for the teenagers to have the illusion that they are completely free - yet provide the random probability that your presence would appear at exactly the time they would least expect it."