The Story of the BIG LIFE MALL!

( Please Note: This article is open for interpretation. Please let me know your views by posting your comments. )

This is the first time I am visiting this mall! And it is huge, beautiful with interesting decorations hanging from a ceiling so high, you can hardly see from where they come! The entire mall is bright , and its walls and panels are shiny white! It looks so clean, so neat , so pure!

It has these huge gates of gold. The combination of white and gold glitters everywhere in every form of this mall's existence! It's decorations, theme and even it's executives are dressed in white fabric and gold!

I approach the huge gates and a security guard checks me with a metal detector.

" Good Morning! Welcome to the " Big Life Mall ". In order to enter , you would have to choose a costume which will be your identity for the rest of your time in this mall. It helps us track you down, to help you whenever you need us. The "Previledge costumes" come with " Previledge Service" , such as we entertain help calls from "Previledge costumes" 1st before any other! These costumes are costlier , designed with the best material - so they are beautiful ( laughs) that goes without saying but they are delicate, but they can adapt to different situations faster!"

" What about the other Costumes?"

" We also have the "Dominating Costumes" , they help you move around faster, they are stronger and are made with comparitively more rough material, they have lesser functions in comparison to Previledge Costumes and cost less."

" And what else do you have?"

" Other all Costumes come under the category of " Risk Costumes"!

" Risk Costumes? That's kind of a scary name! What's up with these Costumes?"

"Hmm..... They combine the qualities of Previledge Costumes and Dominating Costumes in smaller or bigger quantities.......So no 2 costumes in this category are same. Some are strong and Beautiful at the same time , others are fast and have many other functions which are left to the imagination of the wearer of such costumes. We call it the Risk Costume because not all our customers have liked them so far, many of them complain far too much , others leave our Mall sooner because they find these Costumes very uncomfortable! So we don't usually recommend them."

" Why don't you take it off from the mall then?"

" There's a very small number of customers who specifically ask for these Costumes.....!"

" Ohh I see!"

" So which Costume would you like?"

" I would like to have a look, Can I?"

" Yes sure! But you would have to swipe your card for us to read how much Balance you have before you enter. since we don't let people with low balance enter the previledge section! "


So I swipe my card, I have the required balance and I enter the Risk section first. This section is definately meant for those with different tastes, the style of this costume is difficult to understand. I lose interest within a few minutes of entering this section . As they say only people with a developed taste can appreciate an art! This section is no less than a museum to my eyes!

So I go on to the next level, that is the " Dominating Costumes" section. These Costumes have lots of takers it seems, there's a general rush and at the end of this section there's a huge cue to enter the previledge section. Some are fighting because they've been barred from entering due to their low Balance. I quickly join the line , and get past the check post into what truly seems the continuation of the mall- The Previledge section! It has long flowing, soft flowery costumes! It has mild gentle fruity smell all around the place! Why would someone not choose these costumes? I go through each one of them carefully and stop before a medium length light pink Costume! It is very soft to touch, and has a very attractive smell and look! While I am just about to pick it up, someone says in my ear-
" Careful!"
I turn back to see another Previledge customer!
" Excuse me?"
" The more delicate a Costume, more difficult is its handling!"
" But it's so beautiful! I cannot resist trying it on!"
" Haven't you been told? You can't try out costumes here. You choose one- take as much time as you like, but once you wear it- it fits you anyway, and then you have to carry it- whether you like it or not!"

" I don't see why I wouldn't like it!"
" This is my 2nd time in this mall and the 1st time too I picked up something as beautiful as this one, of course as the time is passing, they are truly coming with more beautiful pieces! But.........
I had the most beautiful costume in the whole mall.......it felt great!"

I was looking at 'the one', and could truly feel the description - I was lost in my own dreams, how good I would look with this costume? Ohh everyone would be so jealous of me!

" But then the reality started sinking in on me. I was pulled and pushed all the time by those who wear the Dominating Costume......I don't know what is wrong with them? It's either that they wanted the previledge costume that they couldn't have or that they want to show how good their costume is!! huh! As if I care!"

The One looked at the Pink costume again!

" Ohh It was a pain handling this costly delicate thing. It would tear and hurt all the time, someone or the other would always push or dash on me- they all are so fast, but these are so slow!!"

The One looked with a firm gaze at me!

" It's a deception, you see? The name Previledge is a deception you get lost into. It tests our selfish nature and greediness. None of us want to settle down for anything less. We want the best- we want all the Previledge! and so we have to pay the price!"

" But if I do have the required balance to pay for it, why not?"

" My dear , I am not talking about affording this Costume! Affording this costume is the easiest part of this story, the reality seeps in only when you enter the mall!"

" Why? Isn't the mall as beautiful as this?"

" Now that's another huge deception!" the One laughs!

I am confused, " Why ? What's wrong with the mall?"

" I wouldn't spoil the mystery. You are here for the first time. Take it all with a pinch of salt......It's nice , it's fun , it has lots of beauty in it! But most of us are so used to all goodness that we can not appreciate the beauty of negative emotions as well!"

" Err...What? Negative what?"

" Exactly....remember 1 thing, this is going to be the best journey you've ever had. And whether you like it or not, at the end of it you would definately recommend this mall to anybody who asks you! That's the spice in this mall that you would find nowhere else!"

The One winks at me and leaves..



And the rest as they say is history!

I chose the costume I am in today!

In different sections of the mall, they call each costume by a different name but nobody calls them as - Previledge, Dominating and Risky ( these are hard to spot- strangely! Becasue they were the most prominent in their wardrobes! Life's funny!)

As The One had said, I encountered Dominating One's trying to push me around....but what the One had not told me is that some Dominating one's can compliment me, they've been extremely generous in offering me their support which has made my time in the mall not just easy but lots more fun!

The idea, it seems, is to have the best time one possibly can , while you are in this mall! To see as much as you can, to experience as much as you can- and to connect to as many customers and learn from them! Because One Costume is not enough to get the whole experience of the BIG LIFE MALL!