I love shopping!  No even so much the buying, but simply the browsing, the looking, the wandering about.  Sure the buying is also a thrill – that perfect purchase finally stumbled upon.  But I could spend hours at a mall, not buy one thing, and still be perfectly happy having luxuriated in the wonder of it all.  But that of course, is when I’m by myself.  Because when I’m with “them” . . . it’s a whole other story.

Take, for example, my husband.  He actually becomes physically agitated upon enter a mall, or any non-grocery store in general.  His anxiety level skyrockets.  His patience, which is short at the best of times, becomes non-existent.  It’s a torturous experience for him.  One that he loathes.  One that I do not like to thrust him into, let alone be present for.

Which is why he has a very limited wardrobe.  I’ve offered my services of accompanying him and assisting, and I’ve offered to simply let him go it alone.  But no – he just won’t go.  Over the years I’ve even played “personal shopper” by picking things out for him and bring them home.  Then returning them due to bad sizing, style, colour, etc.  Only to bring the new batch of items home . . . and also having to return them.  A big frustrating waste of MY time that I now refuse to participate in.

So now, after 10 years of marriage, we have reached a compromise on his clothes buying.  He grants me approximately 20 minutes twice a year in a men’s clothing store that is not located in a mall.  He will agree to enter the change room and try on a few select items.  All the while the 20 minute clock is ticking down, and I’m running around the store like a crazy woman.  I’m sure the staff must wonder why we’re in such a rush.  If we do get any winners, be they tops or bottoms, we will purchase them in any and all colours available.  Then we will leave the store immediately and never speak of it again.

Which is why I’m trying to train my boys to enjoy the mall experience.  If not for me, then for the future girlfriends and wives that I hope will eventually thank me.  So every now and then if Daddy is busy for the evening, I suggest the three of us go to the mall.  Sure I bribe them with promises of the Food Court.  Is that so wrong?  We skip all the “girlie” stores and head straight for the fun stuff – sports stores, hat kiosks, toy stores, West 49, American Eagle and the like.  Whatever it takes to make them enjoy their time there.  Cause once I got that clinched, maybe I can introduce the occasional visit to Chapters or a shoe store.  But for now I quickly and cheerfully move from one interesting display to another before any level of boredom can set in.  Kinda like trying to keep a hungry baby distracted while you work quickly to get his food ready.  Baby steps boys, baby steps.