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August 09, 2005
while in fresno
I went into this cafe to get some iced tea. I had this turquoise flowered purse with me (most of you know the one) and the girl at the counter asked me where I got it. A lot of people ask me where I got this purse, i get compliments on it quite often. It's really nothing special, I reply, "The Gap."
She said, "I try not to shop at the Gap."
I remember feeling this way. I remember how Fresno makes you want to rebel against the "big chain stores." However, what I want to ask her is, Where the hell do you shop?
There is nothing but big chain stores. There is nothing but the Gap. Do you shop only at thrift stores? Aren't half of those clothes originally form the Gap or Old Navy anyway. It's not as though they have an American Apparel where you know that everything was made sweatshop free, etc.
Do you by your clothes at Sears? Maybe she likes to wear toughskins?
And now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think she said, "I try not to shop at the Gap."
I think she said, "I try to avoid the Gap." Like it's the fucking plague or something. Or like it could happen anyway.
Things I try to avoid:
Getting hit by a car.
Burning my mouth on hot coffee.
Getting fat.
Falling down the stairs.
See, now that was a good example. I try to avoid falling down the stairs, but sometimes it happens anyway. It really sucks when it does, and maybe I could have been more careful, but I tried to avoid it.
You don't try to avoid the Gap. You either do or you don't. Yes, I'm sorry you live in Fresno and want to get out. But seriously, I remember that need-to-leave feeling and that need to try to do everything opposite of the norm in Fresno. It's hard living in a city that has Alan Autry as a mayor and a city that has new strip malls every week. However, I think you need to accept that, embrace that, make it your own, do what you can to improve your quality of life, or just get the hell out. Stop avoiding things, stop making excuses and leave.
I left Fresno with a new appreciation for it. Life there is easy, simple. No parking problems, no traffic, cheap food on every corner. Not only that, but people don't expect as much out of you. And whenever you feel down, remember, Fresno used to be cool:
However, I do have one problem, can someone tell Fresno that it's okay to go out drinking on Mondays???
on another note, some pics of fresno:
(food is still to come)
Posted by meloknee at August 9, 2005 08:49 AM
Comments
"There is nothing but the Gap."
"You don't try to avoid the Gap. You either do or you don't."
I think what have here is a situation where she does, in fact, shop at the Gap for all her clothes. She tries to avoid it (possibly by not shopping that often) but, when time comes around and she needs cloths, off to the Gap she goes!
Posted by: Andrew Davis at August 9, 2005 09:36 AM
No, she probably doesn't shop at the gap or listen to anything that she can't buy on vinyl and more than likely asks questions like, "where did you get that purse?" or "What are you listening to?" so she can reveal those gems of coolness. Hipsters are the new Blaze Orange.
Posted by: Chris aka Not Sally at August 9, 2005 10:17 AM
ding-ding-ding...I think you may have hit the nail on the head. when she said that to me, i almost reverted to 16 and wanted to say something like, "yeah, i try to avoid it to, but my mom bought it for me." then i remembered that i am way cooler than she is.
Posted by: melanie at August 9, 2005 10:19 AM
you had to go and bring up the tough skins again. i may never recover from the trauma now.
Posted by: bugg at August 9, 2005 11:30 AM