Stand there like an idiot.

You stand there like an utter moron for about five minutes, staring up at the pet shop's sign while other people passed you, some stopping to ask if you were going to go in or give their own two cents. One old lady suggested going to a pound to take a stray home instead, not understanding the point of the store. You don't think anyone got the point of the store. Hell, you don't think you got the point of the store. Still, you stood there for another few moments before you heard a voice next to you.

“This is kinda unethical, don't you think?”

You turn your head towards the voice. It was another young man, about your height and age. Sharp dressed, neat hair, and unwrapping a pack of cigarettes. “The selling of sentient creatures I mean. It just seems so eighteenth century barbaric.”

You shrug your shoulders some. “Well, if you consider dogs and cats to be family members I suppose you could say the same thing about regular pet stores... have you been inside?”

“No, and I don't plan to be. They sent me an invitation for some reason but I'm not obliged to go into the damn place.” He used a plastic lighter to light a cigarette. “ 'Sides, I like dudes anyhow.”

“Aah,” you went. As more of an utterance of acknowledgment rather than signifying that fact as a novelty. “So how do you think they figured out who to send the letter to?

“I don't know but if it's how I think they do it than they're in serious violation to my privacy.” He puffed out some smoke.

For the next half hour or so, you and the stranger have a conversation about the ethics of owning animals of higher thinking, and discuss really good Indian places in this very same mall. The stranger gets through his second cigarette before he checks his watch and stands up. “Well, my lunch break is over. I need to head back to the office.”

“Alright... say.” You decided to ask one last question. “If there was a store like this that did male pets, would you...?”

The other dude laughed a little. “I doubt it'd actually happen. I think this entire thing is really just a way to get you to come in so they can you. But I don't know.” He coughed into his fist before flicking the cigarette butt off to the side of the bench the two of you were sitting on. “Eeh, you know what they say. Curiosity Killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. Give it a day or two of thought. If it's closed by tomorrow morning you'll know if it were a scam or not.”

With that the stranger left. You don't even think you got his name. You look back to the pet store, which has already had a customer or two, although none of them left with anything bought.

You consider going inside again, but then again that other guy DID tell you about a really good Indian restaurant down the block...