Boy's Day Out

My wife said that she needed to fill out some job applications today, so I took Troy out to give her some peace and quiet. It was really hot outside, so I decided to take him to a new mall, Stonebriar Centre, where we could explore while enjoying air conditioning. Our first stop was at Barnes and Nobles. This particular location is by far my favorite. It has two levels with an escalator inside the store connecting them. The top level features a spacious cafe and sections of adult books. The walls are decorated with caricatures of authors, helping immerse you in the stories both old and new. The bottom level is entirely devoted to children and young adults, featuring books, toys, games, and puzzles. I thought Troy would enjoy exploring all the amazing things around the store, but all he really wanted to do was ride the escalator up and down. So, that’s what we did.

After that, we found a little enclosed play area at one end of the mall, and Troy wanted to go inside and play. The place was crowded with kids of all ages running, climbing, and sliding, while parents sat along the walls waiting. I actually got into a conversation with a Latino man who was waiting on his granddaughter. We discussed how much Dallas has changed over the years and how expensive houses are nowadays. But he left after ten minutes, and I sat alone, watching Troy enjoy himself. We stayed there for close to an hour, but finally I dragged Troy away to go have lunch.

The food court was chaotic and loud. I was craving a hot dog, and Troy opted for a hamburger. So, we agreed upon Sonic, and then found the only available table in the place to sit and eat. The food court also sported a giant carousel on one end, so after lunch, Troy convinced me to take a ride on it. He enjoyed it so much that we went two more times. He rode a gray horse called “Goofy,” whose tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth, and he rode a huge black war horse called “Hercules.”

After that we cruised around the rest of the mall, stopping at the movie theater to pose with the cardboard cutouts, stopping at KidZania to pose with the life size airplane, riding more escalators, and playing in the play area one more time. After four hours, we were both exhausted. Troy fell asleep in the car, which I would have gladly done as well if I hadn’t had to drive us home.