On a snowy Sunday night at the mall, Alex and I are doing our usual eight laps up and down the corridors, stopping occasionally to allow him to zip up all the misbehaved coats on the racks at Macy's and Dick’s Sporting Goods, the two anchor stores at opposite ends. We are in Macy's and stop to straighten out a rack of blue and white flowered pants which have become askew on their hangers. Two women are standing at the racks when we approach. Both declare the pants "screamy," regardless if you're considering the X-Large or the X-Small. Loud is loud…