The snake at the pet store begged me to take him home, as this place was too cold and he was sick of stasis. I broke in last night with my flashlight and balaclava and reached into the cage. He twined his red and orange and black body around my arm, under my coat, but before we could leave reminded me that the thermostat was in the corner. His liberation was no reason for the others to miss out on at least a temporary reprieve.
All in all, an exhausting evening. The tropical birds were so grateful for the change in climate that they insisted in singing me love song after love song, until the security guards came and I had to hide amongst the Saint Bernards. They were good sports, and created a convenient pile of doggy warmth to hide behind.
I just heard from a friend who works in the mall that the store's thermostat is broken at 75 degrees. That'll learn 'em.