What happened to my little world?

Part of my rehab is to walk. Walk. Walk.

I had been walking in my house from the living room to the kitchen thru the other
side of the house to the front door.

But after a few weeks that gets boring.

So last week I thought about when I was sick 19 yrs ago and walked at our local mall, the Golf Mill Mall.

Wow, thats a good idea...I'll do it again.

In 1991 my experience at the mall was interesting. There were all
these folks walking around that looked like my neighbors and school
classmates.

You know Polish, Italian, German, Irish, Swedes and other Scandinavian countries.
They all had their groups walking and sitting in the food court.

There were hispanics and Asians...Philippino's. Everyone smiling and giving a hello sign or wave.

Well, Monday I walked for the first time and noticed an old geezer that walked there
20 years ago. He looked older.

I walked 18 minutes and was more concerned with walking than noticing that the
mall was empty..

Then Weds when I walked 23 minutes....except there were a couple tables
occupied by some south pacific type folks....Not Philipino's or asians but somewhere maybe manchurians. Big boned faces.

Then today Sat went there around 4pm. Wow, it was crowded. But I didn't see
anyone I knew. I didn't recognize any of the groups of folks sitting in the food court.

Most were older....short stocky dark complected...with those beads that they twirled
around and around in each others faces. The language's was nothing i knew.

As I walked further I passed several stores that tall slender shaved heads Russian types were working. Each one had that look of a KGB agent.

Or even worse the Russian mafia.

There would be 5 of these guys in a toy store staring at anyone that approached.
None of the stores had any customers on Sat afternoon.

I finished my walk and sat in the food court. Everyone was wearing black leather/plastic jackets. All black clothes with white socks.

I had the lightest color clothes. And the only one that spoke English.

It was like in a movie. I stood in the middle and slowly turned a 360 looking at all the people.

All I could think of was: where did all those folks from 20 years go. When and where did these new folks arrive.

But most important...

What happened to my little world?