A giant clown is heading towards the Pathmark. Help! Oh my God, it’s Ronald McDonald – hide the children and stock up on your insulin, we’re all going to die. Super Size Me was not just a film, it was a prophecy.
Oh wait, it’s just a giant inflatable Ronald, not a living monster. Luckily, it’s also not a permanent fixture but just a grand re-opening promotional decoration.
McDonald’s is back on Grand Street, in the Old Colony Strip Mall where the Pathmark remains as the anchor. I can’t remember the last time I ate at a McDonald’s, but it had to be before I saw Super Size Me. I never loved McDonalds, but it tastes good. Let’s face it, it’s terrible for you. You can’t be eating that stuff after age 30 or so, at least not without repercussions. But it’s not like anything I can say, or anyone can say anywhere, can stop McDonalds, or even noticeably reduce its popularity.
Last fall, an early morning fire severely damaged this outlet, causing the roof to collapse. Nobody was injured. News reports indicate that the fire department was on the scene for about 80 minutes and the cause was under investigation. I can’t find any report on the cause, and while everyone suspects the Hamburgaler, my suspicion is that it was an inside job. I always blame the clown.
Word is that Sandy delayed the re-opening; additional construction required due to flood damage. Except for Pathmark, most of the stores in this strip mall are still closed. The Chase bank outlet was out of commission for about six weeks, and all the other storefronts on this strip of the strip mall are still gated. Sandy ravaged this place. Repairs slowly continue.
The re-opened McDonald’s is back and packed. I have a feeling the Big Macs taste just like every other one from every McDonalds every where around the world. The shiny face of the current stage of capitalism, a smile as permanent as Ronald’s, murdering us slowly and with stealth but the outcome is as final as it is inescapable.
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